International Journal of Engineering and Technology Research Vol. 2, No. 5, May 2014, pp. 1 - 7, ISSN: 2327 - 0349 (Online) Available online at www.ijeatr.org 1 Research article MECHANICAL STABILIZATION OF A DELTAIC CLAYEY SOIL USING CRUSHED WASTE PERIWINKLE SHELLS. George Rowland Otoko & Esenwa Ifechukwude Cynthia Civil Engineering Department, Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt. E-mail: otokosoils@yahoo.com This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. __________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT. Mechanical stabilization of a deltaic clayey soil using crushed waste periwinkle shells was examined. The crushed waste periwinkle shells were subjected to standard geotechnical engineering testing before using it to blend with the soil, in order to examine its influence on the geotechnical engineering properties of the soil. This paper demonstrates the effect of the crushed waste periwinkle shells on the modification of the plasticity, swell potential, compaction characteristics and CBR values of the soil. The results show that an otherwise marginal deltaic clayey soil can be mechanically stabilized with the addition of crushed waste periwinkle shells. Copyright © IJEATR, all rights reserved. Keywords: Mechanical stabilization, Periwinkle shells, Plasticity, Compaction, CBR. __________________________________________________________________________________________ INTRODUCTION. Most of the Niger Delta area, Nigeria, which is undergoing rapid industrialization, consist of soils that lack certain attributes for suitability as construction materials. They are either treated chemically or blended with other materials to stabilize them for geotechnical engineering use. Traditionally, Portland cement and hydrated lime are used for the soil stabilization. However, industrial by-products, construction and demolition waste and other waste materials ordinarily considered as environmental problems, are gradually finding applications in soil stabilization (Nikraz 1999; Zaman et al 1992; Collins and Ciesielske 1994; Chun and Kao 1993; Edil et al 2002; Kleven et al 2000; FIRST 2004; Javed and Lovell 1995).Literature review, reveals that periwinkle and oyster shells have been used in concrete and other areas of civil engineering; but no technical information on the assessment of the utilization of crushed waste periwinkle shells for geotechnical engineering applications in Nigeria.