Epoxy Resin-Stabilised Silty Clay: Monotonic and Cyclic Strength Behaviour

This study evaluates the effectiveness of water-soluble epoxy resin for stabilising clay soils in the design of column-type reinforcement in soft ground. To evaluate the influence of varying mix proportions of epoxy resin on the strength of a stabilised silty clay soil, specimens were subjected to a series of unconfined compression tests at various curing ages. In addition, undrained unconsolidated, isotropically consolidated undrained, and isotropically consolidated drained triaxial tests were conducted on specimens after 180 days of curing. Finally, the dynamic behaviour of the treated soil was investigated via isotropically consolidated undrained cyclic triaxial testing. Furthermore, the effect of incorporating epoxy resin on the key physical properties was assessed via water permeability, porosity, and viscosity measurements. The experiments showed that the use of this resinous material resulted in an appreciable increase in all strength values. Moreover, all stabilised specimens exhibited a substantial improvement in cyclic properties, with failure occurring at significantly elevated stress levels and after enduring a larger number of loading cycles, compared to their untreated counterparts. The laboratory results presented here offer critical guidelines for future experimental studies aimed at improving the efficacy of this material in the chemical treatment of weak soils and deep soil mixing applications.