STABILIZATION OF CLAYEY SOIL BY USING WASTES MATERIALS

Clayey soil, which covers approximately 20% of India’s total land area. Traditional stabilization methods, such as lime and cement, are often expensive and environmentally unsustainable. This study explores an alternative approach by utilizing industrial and household waste materials brick powder, marble dust, wooden sawdust, and plastic waste to improve the strength and stability of clayey soil. A series of laboratory tests, including compaction, specific gravity, moisture content, and California Bearing Ratio (CBR) tests, were conducted to assess the effectiveness of these waste materials as soil stabilizers. The results indicate that wooden sawdust (4%) provided the highest CBR improvement (9.06%), followed by brick powder (10%) with a CBR of 7.75%. The combination of all four waste materials also showed a significant improvement over untreated soil. The findings of this study highlight the potential of waste materials to enhance the soil properties of clayey soil while promoting environmental sustainability and cost-effectiveness in construction projects. This approach can be applied in pavement subgrades, embankments, and foundation improvements, offering a viable solution for soil stabilization while reducing waste accumulation.