Remediation of Expansive Soils Utilizing Waste Glass Powder

Abstract Some types of plastic clay swell significantly when water comes into contact with them and then suffer from shrinkage when they lose water. Buildings built on such soil are exposed to many problems due to the increased uplift forces on the foundation generated by the swell. Traditional methods of stabilizing these soils are costly; therefore, recycled materials are introduced as alternative solutions to enhance the problematic soil due to their low in cost and reasonable engineering properties. In this study, five percentages of waste glass powder WGP (3, 6, 9, 12, and 15%) were mixed with highly expansive clay samples. To clarify the effect of WGP, conventional tests were conducted including specific gravity, Atterberg limits, compaction characteristics and unconfined compressive test. In addition, one-dimensional swell potential test was conducted. Both liquid limit and plastic index results showed a reduction when WGP was added. This refers to a reduction in the swelling of the soil which was compatible with results of swelling potential. Moreover, the results showed that Adding WGP has a positive effect on both soil dry density and moisture content. The evaluation of the unconfined shear strength results revealed that 9% WGP can be considered as the optimal percentage to be used to improve the expansive soil as the strength of soil increased to about 60%.