Enhanced Performance of Polyelectrolyte-Stabilized Sandy Soils under Wetting and Drying Cycles

This study addresses the utility of polyelectrolytes, i.e., cationic poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC) and anionic polystyrene sulfonate (PSS), as additives to improve properties of the polymer-stabilized soil. This paper specifically focuses on the resistance of polymer-stabilized soils to degradation and/or damage during and following multiple wetting–drying cycles (zero, one, two, three, five, and seven cycles). Each cycle consisted of 24 h of moisture conditioning using capillary rise followed by 24 h of drying. Then, these specimens were evaluated for their unconfined compressive strength (UCS). The microstructure and composition of the soils were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), and X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF). Based on the results, the soils used in this study for polymer treatment were primarily composed of carbonates and silicates with a small amount of clay minerals. The polyelectrolyte stabilizers (PDADMAC and PSS) and polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) were added to the soils at dosages ranging from 0.2% to 1.6% by weight of dry polymer to dry soil. Treated soils demonstrated increased UCS compared with untreated counterparts. The untreated soils exhibited rapid degradation of UCS and mechanical collapse within three to four wetting–drying cycles. On the other hand, the polymer-treated soils exhibited a strength reduction of between 10% and 50% following the first cycle and then maintained the UCS of about 3–6 MPa after completion of all wetting–drying cycles. Furthermore, the stabilized soil demonstrated significant improvement in toughness compared with their untreated and cement-treated counterparts. The ability of the polymer-stabilized soils to stand up to wetting–drying cycles is a key finding and contribution of this study.