Frost heaving coefficients of silicified clay soils

Abstract

  To exclude transport structures roadbed frost heave deformations operated in unfavorable climatic and soil-hydrological conditions, methods are often used to transform the clay soils properties of the working layer (core). One of the ways to transform the clay soils properties is silicification - impregnation of soils with a solution of sodium silicate, the so-called liquid glass, through injectors of a special design. At the same time, the question of the change patterns in the coefficients of initial soils frost heaving during silicification remains unsolved. In this regard, the purpose of the research is to determine the dependence of the change in the coefficients of frost heaving of silicified soil on the concentration of sodium silicate solution and the soil plasticity number.
   As part of the research, a laboratory experiment was carried out. The GT 1.1.12 automated device was used as the main laboratory setup for the implementation of the experiment. Based on the results of the research, using statistical data processing methods, the functional dependences of the change in the frost heaving coefficients on the concentration of the solution and soil plasticity number during the silicification of clay soils used for backfilling the subgrade of transport structures were established.
   The obtained results of the research allow, with a known type of exploited subgrade soil, to assign the optimal concentration of sodium silicate solution and calculate other parameters of full or partial silicification, for example, when creating a capillary barrier, silicification of the working layer or the active zone of the structure.