Experimental and numerical investigation on heave evaluation for expansive soil treated with lime

Expansive soil is treated with lime to a certain depth before construction to stabilise the soil under the action of a pozzolanic reaction. However, there is a need to evaluate the required depth of treatment based on the swelling characteristics of soil, the percentage of lime used for stabilisation, and the span or width of treatment required. This study attempts to find the effective depth of lime treatment using a combination of experimental and numerical approaches. The experimental phase involves determining soil properties and using them in the numerical model, consisting of the heave evaluation of expansive soil. The linear finite element analysis has been carried out using Plaxis 2D, considering the depth of lime treatment as d = 250–2000 mm, the swelling pressure as p = 10–200 kPa, the length of soil deposit representing plan area as B = 5, 10, and 15 m, and the degree of lime treatment by weight as 0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8%. The results of the finite element analysis are presented in the form of design charts, which can be used to find out the effective depth of lime treatment considering the design heave of swelling soils.