Stabilisation Of Highly Expansive Subgrade Using Construction and Demolition Waste Blended With Brick Dust

Abstract

Expansive soils represent a significant geotechnical challenge across the world, necessitating the development of sustainable stabilisation solutions, particularly, in the wake of escalating concerns over global warming and the depletion of natural resources. This research evaluated the effectiveness of a novel, environmentally-friendly and cost-effective stabilisation agent comprised of construction and demolition waste blended with brick dust for the stabilisation of highly expansive subgrades, which are particularly vulnerable due to the lightweight nature of road infrastructures. The study proposed a blend containing 20% CDW and 20% brick dust, assessed through an extensive experimental programme aimed at illustrating the impact of this stabilising agent on the expansive soil's physical, chemical, and microstructural properties under varying conditions of curing periods, temperatures, and moisture contents. The investigative programme encompassed swelling test, UCS test, CBR test, pH test, electrical conductivity test, SEM, and EDX analysis.