Comparison of the Effect of Lime Additives and Magnesium Oxide-Activated GGBS in Stabilizing a Clay Soil Contaminated with Phenol

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Meysam Garshasbi ¹

Ali Raeesi Estabragh ¹

Jamal Abdollahi Ali Beik ²

Gholamali Vakili ²

¹ Irrigation and Reclamation Department, University of Tehran

² Irrigation and Reclamation Department, University of Tehran.

10.22067/jfcei.2025.91416.1335

Abstract

In this research, the stabilization of a natural clay soil contaminated with phenol was investigated using lime and Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS) activated with Magnesium Oxide (MgO) additives. The phenol-contaminated soil, with a concentration of 2000 ppm, was artificially prepared in the laboratory. Tests to determine Atterberg limits and compaction were conducted on samples of both natural and contaminated soils mixed with 0%, 4%, 7%, and 10% of the mentioned additives. Additionally, unconfined compressive strength (UCS) tests were performed on the prepared samples at curing times of 7, 14, and 28 days. The results showed that the additives caused changes in the Atterberg limits and compaction parameters, and also increased the unconfined compressive strength of the samples. This increase in strength was dependent on both the percentage of additives and the curing time. Furthermore, a comparison of the strength results showed that the strength of the treated contaminated soil, at a fixed percentage of additives and curing time, was higher than that of the untreated soil. This phenomenon may be due to the production of cementitious materials and the reaction between the phenol contaminant and the additives. A comparison of the performance of the two additives in terms of stabilizing phenol-contaminated soil revealed that the MgO-activated GGBS was more effective than lime at a fixed percentage and curing time. SEM results also indicated that the increase in strength was due to changes in the soil structure and the production of cementitious materials.

Keywords

Remediation

clay soil

contaminated soil

phenol

lime

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