Initial investigation of soil stabilization with calcined dolomite-GGBS blends

Lime-ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) blends have been widely used in soil stabilization applications. More recently, reactive MgO-GGBS blends were shown to outperform lime-GGBS blends in terms of various engineering properties of the stabilized soils. Although the use of MgO or CaO in blends has been investigated, their combined use with GGBS has not. This paper considers the calcined dolomite as a source of MgO-CaO combination and investigates the use of calcined natural dolomite-GGBS blends in the stabilization of a clayey soil and a clayey silty sand. The influence of the calcination temperature, soil type, dosages of binder and curing period on the properties of the stabilized soils were studied by unconfined compressive strength (UCS), elastic stiffness (E50), XRD analysis and SEM. This initial work revealed that calcined dolomite-GGBS blends are practical and are an effective option for soil stabilization. © ASCE 2014