Stabilisation of a clay soil by ion injection using an electrical field

Abstract

A programme of experiments was conducted to study the use of the electrokinetic technique to transport a stabilising chemical agent through a clay soil. The experimental tests were undertaken on a clay soil in a special apparatus by applying a constant voltage gradient across the sample to introduce a solution of calcium chloride with different concentrations in the soil. The variations of shear strength across the sample resulting from the electrokinetic process were determined. The experiments were conducted in two groups. In the first group the electro-osmosis method was used for soil samples with distilled water. In the second group the electrokinetic technique was applied to the soil to transport the solution of calcium chloride with varying concentrations through the pores of soil. The results showed that the strength of soil increased for both groups and the amount of increase in the second group is dependent on the concentration of calcium chloride injected to the soil. The injection of this stabiliser also increased the electric current and electro-osmotic permeability.