An Experimental Study on Rock Flour Fly ash of Bentonite

Most countries with arid and semi-arid climate will have problems with expansive soils such as cracking and breaking up of pavements, lightly loaded structures, canal liners etc., by consolidating under the load and by changing volumetrically along with seasonal moisture variation. These expansive soils in India are available in the form of Bentonite deposits. Bentonite is highly plastic thixotropic clay rich in Montimorillonite clay mineral. Bentonite is well known for its suitability as molding material in pottering and utensils, drilling mud to support the vertical sides of bore holes, and in grouting technology. Despite several favorable properties of Bentonite for the above presence which exhibit large volume changes upon wetting and drying due to the presence of Montimorillonite clay mineral with expandable lattice structures. In view of huge cyclic volumetric changes, these deposits are discouraged for construction activity. However, when it is inevitable to construct structures or run a highway, a canal or a pipeline in these deposits, suitable remedial techniques to combat the damages caused by them are to be adopted. Damages caused by expansive soils are controlled by proper application of stabilization agents like Fly Ash and Rock Flour will be added to Bentonite. In the present work, attempts were made to study the influence of Rock Flour and Fly Ash when mixed with Bentonite in reducing the expansive nature. For this purpose, Rock Flour and Fly Ash in different proportions by weight of Bentonite is mixed with Bentonite and the geotechnical properties of these mixes were Found. The results indicate that the plasticity properties of Bentonite were significantly modified upon the addition of Rock Flour and Fly Ash & they noticeably influence of Compaction, Strength, Swell and Consolidation properties of Bentonite soil.