Mechanical behavior and effect of the incorporation of fillers on sediments treated with hydraulic binders

Management of large quantities of sediments from dam and river dredging is an important environmental and economic issue. Case of Soummam River located in the Bejaia region are discussed in this work. In order to enhance the value of this material, which was initially either stored or discharged into the sea. We carried out an in-depth study to enhance the value of river sediments in the field of road works, particularly in the subgrade layers of the roadway. This study has the dual advantage of making the dredging operation profitable, which is very expensive, and of having a large quantity of construction materials available. The characterization of the sediments revealed the predominance of fine particles with a low percentage of clay and a significant presence of organic matter. Mechanical behavior of natural sediments does not meet the criteria imposed by regulations in force. This is why in second step we will study the impact of treatment based on cement or lime alone or with additives such as fillers. Different formulations are proposed in order to meet regulatory requirements. By varying rate of fillers associated with lime or cement, it is possible to improve mechanical resistance of sediments studied. Results obtained on different formulations studied show improvement of mechanical performances. With only 2% of cement associated with fillers, interesting results are obtained. Bearing capacity of resulting material is better and an increase in mechanical resistance is obtained.