The Influences of Freeze-Thaw Cycles on the Shear Strength of Expansive Soil Treated with Ionic Soil Stabilizer

Abstract

A study of the shear strength of expansive soil treated with ionic soil stabilizer during freeze-thaw cycles is presented. The shear strength of treated expansive soil is greater than that of untreated expansive soil at room temperature, and it is evident that the moisture content plays a leading role in this result. After a freeze-thaw cycle the shear strength changes little for untreated soil, but decreases gradually after ionic soil stabilizer treatment. Shear strength reaches the lowest values after seven freeze-thaw cycles. Finally, the influence of freeze-thaw cycles on the porosity of expansive soil is analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, which shows that the porosity of both treated and untreated soil increases with the number of freeze-thaw cycles, although porosity of the treated sample changes little.