Large structural and microstructural study on the effect of seawater on the process of stabilizing clay soils with lime and nano-SiO2

In many coastal areas, due to lack of fresh water, there are many limitations to use in soil stabilization. On the other, due to the extension of saline water on the surface of the earth, more studies are needed on the effects of saline water on soil improvement. Therefore, in this paper, by conducting large structural and microstructural experiments, the effect of ions in sea water on the process of chemical stabilization of clay soils with lime and nanosilica has been studied. Different amounts of lime, nanosilica, distilled water and Gulf Sea water have been used to stabilize kaolinite clay .Sample clay of kaolinite has been modified with different amounts of lime and nanosilica. In this regard, soil gradation test, Atterberg limits, pH changes of samples, compressive strength variations over time have been investigated. Also, for microstructure evaluation, X-ray diffraction analysis and scanning electron microscopy have been used. Based on the results, Unconfined Compression Strength of seawater samples has improved compared to distilled water samples. Also, when the sample were modified by 6% lime, the strength of seawater samples increased by 4% compared to distilled water samples during the 28-day processing period.