EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF BASE REINFORCED BY CEMENTATION

Abstract

Most of Ukraine’s engineering and geological conditions are characterized by loess subsidence soils, which can be up to 30 meters thick. In such conditions, it is advisable to construct industrial and civil buildings with a height of more than five floors on piles of various types.Soil cement is a material that is produced by combining natural soil with cement. The result is a robust structure that exhibits resistance to moisture and can withstand substantial loads.This material is currently employed in the construction of soil-cement piles. Smaller diameter elements based on it are used to improve loose soils, forming a stabilized base zone. Soil cement piles serve as solid foundation for buildings and structures of various functions, as well as waterproof sheeting, retaining structures, and reinforcements for foundation pit slopes and landslide areas. In addition, soil cement is effectively used as a material for road pavement construction.The work considers the selection of the optimal composition of the soil-cement mixture.The planning of experiments and the selection of the soil-cement composition took into account different cement consumption and water-cement ratio (W/C), as well as additives.The criterion of the experiment was the compressive strength of the soil-cement (prism strength).The composition of the cement-soil mixtures was selected in the laboratory in such a way as to ensure the production of soil-cement with the specified strength characteristics at a minimum cement consumption. Experimental samples were manufactured and tested for compression.The tests were performed using a press with a curing period of 7, 28, and 56 days.Field studies were conducted to examine the structure of the soil-cement element after a period of six months of curing. The elements were excavated and examined employing the penetration method. The primary objective of the study was to ascertain the strength of the soil-cement along the length of the pile.To verify the effect of the base improvement in specific conditions of the construction site, studies of its compressibility were carried out by testing the soils with a stamp. The compressibility of the base was investigated in the natural and moistened states of the soil before and after its improvement.