Stabilization of Black Cotton Soil using Brick Dust and Bagasse Ash

The problem with expansive soils has been recorded all over the world. Many foundations related problems are also noticed in and around India. Because of swelling and shrinkage of expansive soils, civil engineering structures like residential buildings, pavements and canal linings are severely damaged. Many innovative foundation techniques have been devised as a solution to the problem of expansive soils. In the present investigation, the influence of brick dust (BD) and bagasse ash (BA) on the strength properties of black cotton soil is studied. The main objective of this investigation had been focused on the index properties and unconfined compressive strength behaviour of the soil stabilised with brick dust and bagasse ash and to determine the appropriate percentage of brick dust and required. The change in the index properties and unconfined compressive strength are determined by conducting test on black cotton soil with varying percentage of brick dust with 10%, 20%, 30% and 40% keep the bagasse ash content as 12% throughout the study. The experimental results obtained from these tests clearly show that there is significant increase unconfined compressive strength. The results obtained for nonstabilized samples are compared with stabilized samples. It can be concluded that brick dust and bagasse ash can be considered as a good stabilising/additive material for black cotton soil.