Improved Mechanical Behaviour and Microstructure of Cemented Soil with Nanomaterials: Fid-Bau Portal

Improved Mechanical Behaviour and Microstructure of Cemented Soil with Nanomaterials

Lu, Jianguo / Yao, Huayan / Shahrour, Isam / Fang, Qingyao / Song, Weilong / Liu, Guang

This paper presents an experimental study of nanomaterials’ influence on improving the mechanical behaviour and microstructure of cemented soils. The strength characteristics were obtained through uniaxial compressive strength test. The influences of nanomaterials on the pore size distribution and micromorphology of cemented soil were investigated by nuclear magnetic resonance, scanning electron microscope, and X-ray diffraction. The results show that the uniaxial compressive strength of the cemented soil increases with the nano-SiO₂ content. When the content is 4%, the strength of the cemented soil increases by about 40%. Improvement with nano-Fe₃O₄ shows different trends. The strength of the cemented soil increases with the nano-Fe₃O₄ content, reaching a peak at 3% of the nano content, and then decreases with the increase in the content. The transverse relaxation time spectrum curve of the cemented soil is trimodal, and the main peak covers a dominant area. Adding nanomaterials improves the pore distribution, transforms large pores into small pores, and greatly reduces the pores of the cemented soil. The porosity of the cemented soil decreases exponentially with the increase of nano-SiO₂ content. On the contrary, with the increase of nano-Fe₃O₄ content, the porosity of the cemented soil specimen first decreases and then increases, the porosity reaches the minimum at 3% content. Nano-SiO₂ and nano-Fe₃O₄ can effectively fill the internal pores of the cemented soil and accelerate the hydration process. In addition, nano-SiO₂ participates in the hydration reaction of cement and has a good promoting effect on the mechanical properties of cemented soil.