Effect of pH Variation of Pore Fluid on The Geotechnical Properties of Fly Ash Stabilized Clay

Anjali S Nair, Joe G Philip

Abstract: Industrial advancement has merits and demerits. One of the demerits is discharge of various waste materials in the form of effluents. This effluent sweeps in to the soil and thus pore fluid properties get altered. The changes in the properties of pore fluid have a great effect in the soil behavior. When this soil is used for infill or foundation for the structures it is necessary for a geotechnical engineer to understand changes in engineering properties of soil and taking necessary precautions according to the variations in the soil behavior. This paper presents a study on the topic, effect of pH variation of pore fluid on the geotechnical properties of fly ash stabilized clay. Fly ash stabilized Kuttanad clay, distilled water, NaOH and Acetic acid (25 % & 50 %) were used. According to the test results there is an increase in the liquid limit and plasticity index properties of the Acetic acid and NaOH contaminated sample. Acetic acid contaminated sample shows a reduction in swelling and compression index.

Keywords: liquid limit, plastic limit, compression index, swelling index and pore fluid