Applied Sciences, Vol. 15, Pages 3339: Experimental and Mechanical Characteristics of Xanthan Gum and Calcium Lignosulfonate-Cured Gravel Soil

Applied Sciences doi: 10.3390/app15063339

Authors:
Cheng Peng
Jierong Zhu
Dongxing Wang
Haiyan Zhou
Junjie Bi

The objective of this study was to enhance the mechanical properties of gravelly soil and to consider the binding and filling effects of xanthan gum and calcium lignosulfonate. To this end, gravelly soil samples were prepared with various dosages of xanthan gum and calcium lignosulfonate, and their curing effects were investigated. The mechanical properties and strength parameters of the cured gravelly soil were investigated using unconfined compressive strength (UCS) tests and conventional triaxial compression tests. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to examine the microstructure and curing mechanisms of the gravelly soil treated with these additives. The findings demonstrate that as the dosage increases, both xanthan gum and calcium lignosulfonate markedly enhance the compressive strength and shear strength of the gravelly soil. The curing effect of xanthan gum was found to be more pronounced with higher dosages, while the optimal curing effect for calcium lignosulfonate was achieved at a dosage of 4%. The gravelly soil treated with xanthan gum exhibited superior performance compared to that treated with calcium lignosulfonate when the same dosage was used. Moreover, at elevated confining pressures, the binding effect of xanthan gum and calcium lignosulfonate on the gravelly soil was less pronounced than the strength effect imparted by the confining pressure. This suggests that the impact of dosage on the shear strength of the gravelly soil is diminished at higher confining pressures. The stabilization of crushed stone soil by xanthan gum is a complex process that involves two main mechanisms: bonding and cementation, and filling and film-forming. The curing mechanism of calcium lignosulfonate-cured gravelly soil can be summarized as follows: ion exchange, adsorption and encapsulation, and pore filling and binding effects. The findings of this research offer significant insights that are pertinent to the construction of high earth–rock dams and related engineering applications.

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