Stabilization Of Black Cotton Soil Using Coir Pith

ABSTRACT: Black cotton soil is typical expansive soil have inherent property of shrinking when they are dried and swelling when water is absorbed. For any structure, the foundation is very important and it has to be strong to support the entire structure. In order for the foundation to be strong, the soil around it plays a very critical role. To work on soils, we need to have proper knowledge about their properties and factors which affect their behavior. Expansive soils always create problems more for lightly loaded structures than moderately loaded structures. In this paper the experimental results obtained in the laboratory on expansive soils treated with industrial waste Coir Pith (CP) as a stabilizer are presented. A study is carried out to check the improvements in the properties of expansive soil with Coir Pith in varying percentages. The test results such as liquid limit, Modified proctor compaction, and Unconfined Compression strength test obtained on expansive clays mixed at different proportions of Coir Pith as a admixture ranging from 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3 % and 0.4%. The plasticity index (PI) of 0.1 &0.2 % addition of coir pith is less compared to untreated BC Soil. The max dry density (MDD) of 0.1 &0.2 % addition of coir pith is more compare to untreated BC Soil, optimum moisture content (OMC) is reduced compare to BC Soil. The unconfined compressive strength (UCS) for BC Soil treated with 0.1 &0.2 % of 0,7,14 days curing is more compared to untreated BC Soil