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Biopolymers are polymers of natural origin and are environmentally friendly, carbon neutral and less energy-intense additives that can be used for various geotechnical applications. Biopolymers like xanthan gum, carrageenan, chitosan, agar, gellan gum and gelatin have shown potential for improving subgrade strength, erosion resistance, and as canal liners and in slope stabilization. But minimal research has been carried out on cellulose-based biopolymers, particularly microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), for their application in geotechnical and geo-environmental engineering. In this study, the effect of MCC on select geotechnical properties of kaolin, a weak, highly compressible clay soil, like its liquid and plastic limits, compaction behavior, deformation behavior, unconfined compression strength (UCS) and aging, was investigated. MCC was used in dosages of 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2% of the dry weight of the soil, and the dry mixing method was adopted for sample preparation. The results show that the liquid limit increased marginally by 11% but the plasticity index was nearly 74% higher than that of untreated kaolin. MCC rendered the treated soil stiffer, which is reflected in the deformation modulus, which increased with both dosage and age of the treated sample. The UCS of kaolin increased with dosage and curing period. The maximum UCS was observed for a dosage of 2% MCC at a 90-day curing period. The increase in stiffness and strength of the treated kaolin with aging points out that MCC can be a potential soil stabilizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geotechnical properties of clay soil and its mixtures with different proportions (0.75%, 0.85%, 1%, and 1.15%) of Agar Gum biopolymer and Ferrochromium Slag (0.25%, 0.50%, 0.75%, and 1%), having various curing times and freeze-thaw cycles, were studied through a series of soil mechanical tests to investigate possibilities to improve its undesired/problematic plasticity, compaction, and shear strength characteristics. The results revealed that treatment with an optimal ratio of 1% Agar Gum and 1% Ferrochromium Slag alone, as well as together with, improved the geotechnical properties of the clay soil considerably. Both the unconfined and shear strength properties, along with the cohesion and internal friction angle, increased as much as 47 to 173%, depending on the curing time. The higher the curing time, the higher the shear strength, cohesion, and internal friction angle are up to 21 days. Deteriorating the soil structure and/or fabric, freeze-thaw cycles, however, seem to have an adverse effect on the strength. The higher the freeze-thaw cycle, the lower the shear strength, cohesion, and internal friction angle. Also, some improvements in the plasticity and compaction properties were determined, and environmental concerns regarding Ferrochromium Slag usage have been addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering that, in the context of the ecological restoration of a large number of exposed rock slopes, it is difficult for existing artificial soil to meet the requirements of mechanical properties and ecological construction at the same time, this paper investigates the stabilization benefits of polyvinyl acetate and attapulgite-treated clayey soil through a series of laboratory experiments. To study the effectiveness of polyvinyl acetate (PVA) and attapulgite as soil stabilizer, a triaxial strength test, an evaporation test and a vegetation growth test were carried out on improved soil with different amounts of PVA content (0, 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4%) and attapulgite replacement (0, 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8%). The results show that the single and composite materials of polyvinyl acetate and attapulgite can increase the peak deviator stress of the sample. The addition of polyvinyl acetate can improve the soil strength by increasing the cohesion of the sample; the addition of attapulgite improves the soil strength mainly by increasing the internal friction angle of the sample. The strength of the composite is greatly improved by increasing the cohesion and internal friction angle of the sample at the same time. The effect of adding materials increased significantly with increasing curing age. Moreover, polyvinyl acetate and attapulgite improve the soil water retention of the soil by improving the water-holding capacity, so that the soil can still ensure the good growth of vegetation under long-term drought conditions. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images indicated that the PVA and attapulgite of soil affect the strength characteristics of soil specimens by the reaction of PVA and water, which changes the structure of the soil and, by the interweaving of attapulgite soil particles, acts as the skeleton of the aggregate. Overall, PVA and attapulgite can effectively increase clayey soil stability by improving the cohesive force and internal friction angle of clayey soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using stationary electrochemical, polarization resistance, cathodic charging, transient electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and theoretical and molecular mechanics studies, epoxy polymer-coated carbon steel specimens' ability to protect metals from corrosion in various soil extracts was examined. According to the polarization resistance tests results, the polymer coating remained stable for 60 days in all three soil extracts, with a 90% efficiency for the steel coated in Soil Extract A, indicating that the sandy soil is less aggressive than the other two. The aggressiveness of clay soil was confirmed by the fact that a polymer-coated steel rod in the clay soil extract experienced a corrosion current density of 97 µA/cm2. In contrast, the same rod in sandy soil had a current density of 58 µA/cm2. The coating's good adsorption contact with the metal surface was further guaranteed by molecular dynamics simulations, which provided atomic-level evidence of the epoxy molecule's adsorption behavior (geometry) and adsorption energy on the carbon steel surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beta glucan (β-Glucan), a polysaccharide biopolymer, is used to improve the subgrade strength of clayey soils in an attempt to advocate a sustainable, carbon-neutral, and eco-friendly stabilizer. A design thickness catalog was developed for a three-layered flexible pavement using 3D finite element analysis (FEA) and layered elastic analysis. The analyses were performed for β-glucan-treated fine-grained soils with varying traffic intensities based on a mechanistic design philosophy conforming to IRC: 37-2018. Genetic programming (GP) was employed to obtain equations governing the rutting and fatigue failure in pavements. Thirty-nine datasets were used in the determination and analysis of critical strains governing the failure of a flexible pavement. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Zetasizer analysis, and pH tests of the β-glucan-treated soil revealed the mechanism of strength improvement of the fine-grained soils. The savings in cost for a 1 km stretch of the pavement were estimated to be 14.3%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the potential use of sodium alginate (SA) biopolymer as an environmentally sustainable agent for the stabilization of rubberized soil blends prepared using a high plasticity clay soil and tire-derived ground rubber (GR). The experimental program consisted of uniaxial compression and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) tests; the former was performed on three soil-GR blends (with GR-to-soil mass ratios of 0%, 5% and 10%) compacted (and cured for 1, 4, 7 and 14 d) employing distilled water and three SA solutions—prepared at SA-to-water (mass-to-volume) dosage ratios of 5, 10 and 15 g/L—as the compaction liquid. For any given GR content, the greater the SA dosage and/or the longer the curing duration, the higher the uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), with only minor added benefits beyond seven days of curing. This behavior was attributed to the formation and propagation of so-called "cationic bridges" (developed as a result of a "Ca2+/Mg2+ ⟷ Na+ cation exchange/substitution" process among the clay and SA components) between adjacent clay surfaces over time, inducing flocculation of the clay particles. This clay amending mechanism was further verified by means of representative SEM images. Finally, the addition of (and content increase in) GR—which translates to partially replacing the soil clay content with GR particles and hence reducing the number of available attraction sites for the SA molecules to form additional cationic bridges—was found to moderately offset the efficiency of SA treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been a growing interest in polymer applied for soil reinforcement in recent years. However, there little attention has been paid to the effects of polymer on soil cracking behavior, and cracks significantly change soil strength and hydraulic properties and alter reinforcement effectiveness. This study investigated the desiccation cracking behavior of polyurethane (PU) and polyacrylamide (PAM) admixed clayey soils with different polymer concentrations by performing desiccation cracking tests. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation was also carried out to obtain the internal structure of these soils. The results show that PU and PAM addition both prolonged the initial evaporation stage, accelerated later evaporation processes, and the effects were related to polymer concentration. Final cracks morphology analyses show that PAM addition slightly reduced the cracking and crushing degree and kept the soil relatively intact, while PU addition slightly enhanced the cracking and crushing degree of soil. In addition, PU and PAM addition both increased the width and length of cracks. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses show that the effects of polymer on soil evaporation and cracking could be concluded as: (1) storing water in voids, (2) influencing water immigration channel, (3) providing space for soil shrinkage, and (4) enhancing the connection between aggregates, which did not fully come into play because of the existence of hydrogel form. These achievements provide a certain basis for the research of desiccation cracking behavior of polymer treated soil and make significant sense for the safe and effective running of related projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]