Laboratory Investigation on Stabilization of Clay with Calcium Lignosulfonate and Polyethylene Fibers under wetting and drying cycles

Stabilizing materials can be used as a soil improvement technique when dealing with inappropriate soils. This study investigates the effects of wetting and drying cycles on the clayey soil stabilized with Calcium Lignosulfonate and also polyethylene fibers. For this purpose, unconfined compression strength and durability of the prepared samples under wetting and drying cycles are investigated. Atterberg limit tests, standard compaction tests and unconfined compression tests have been performed on the prepared samples. Also, the optimum curing duration for soil stabilized with lignosulfonate is investigated. The results show that lignosulfonate-stabilized clay was not sufficiently durable against wet and dry cycles. Based on this result, the stabilization of clay with lignosulfonate stabilizer has a great weakness that is the main drawback to the use of this stabilizer. Addition of 4% polyethylene fibers increases the durability of stabilized samples up to 600% against wet and dry cycles. Also, adding polyethylene fibers to stabilized clay soil with lignosulfonate reduces the weight loss of the materials (70%).