IMPROVEMENT OF EXPANSIVE SOIL BY USING FIBER GLASS _SILICA FUME MIXTURE

A fiber glass -silica fume and silica fume (SF) mix (F-SF) have been employed in this study in order to enhance and relate their effects on the expansive soil. Bentonite (B) was added with natural soil in a lab at a ratio of 50% by soil dry weight to create the soil used in this study. The (SF) was added alone at (8,9,10,11,12, and 13) % and 1 % of Fiber glass (F) was added to the (clay soil - SF) mixture. For both treated and untreated soil, odometer, shear box, and swelling tests were used to examine the behavior of the soil after the addition of (SF) and (F-SF) mixture. From the outcome of the experimental tests, we noticed that (SF) reducing both comparison index (Cc), reloading index (Cr), and swelling percentage (SW)%. Also, it is influenced on shear strength parameters by decreasing cohesion (c) and increasing internal angle friction (φ). As well as adding 1 % (F) to the (clay soil - SF) mixture modify the prepared soil by reducing (Cc), (Cr), (SW) % and increasing (c, φ). Based on all of the above results, we concluded that adding (SF) and (F-SF) mix. can enhance the engineering characteristics of swelling soil.