A study of sand stabilization in Eastern Saudi Arabia: Fid-Bau Portal

A study of sand stabilization in Eastern Saudi Arabia

Aiban, Saad Ali

Abstract Saudi Arabia as well as many of the Arabian Gulf countries have witnessed extensive programmes of industrialization and urbanization in the last few decades. In the eastern part of Saudi Arabia these unprecedented activities have resulted in some unexpected constructional problems attributed to the lack of proper quality soil and unfamiliarity with the inferior properties of these soils. The abundance of fine to medium, non-plastic, wind-blown sand deposits at shallow depths makes such soils attractive for construction purposes. However, the poor quality of these soils, especially their low bearing capacity, makes it necessary to improve their properties by stabilization. In an attempt to assess the strength properties of stabilized granular soils and to evaluate the behaviour of cement-treated sands, stabilized samples were prepared and tested in the laboratory under controlled conditions. Two types of cementing agent were used: Portland cement and calcium carbonate. The effects of some of the variables encountered in the field such as curing type and time, confining pressure, cementing agent content, density, saturation and reconstitution on the behaviour of stabilized soils, were studied. Test results show that the addition of a cementing agent to a wind-blown sand (cohesionless material) with uniform size distribution produces a material with two strength components — that due to cementation or “true” cohesion and that due to friction. The angle of internal friction for the treated sands is not much different from that of the untreated sand. The results also show that the drying process is essential in the development of cementation, especially when calcium carbonate is used as the cementing agent. Peak strength as well as initial tangent modulus values, increase with an increase in curing period, confining pressure, cement content and density. Residual strength values seem to be independent of all parameters other than the confinement and density; a behaviour commonly observed for uncemented sands.