American Journal of Civil Engineering 2017; 5(6): 365-370 http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/ajce doi: 10.11648/j.ajce.20170506.18 ISSN: 2330-8729 (Print); ISSN: 2330-8737 (Online) Stabilization of Clayey Soils Using Chloride Components Habiba Afrin Civil Engineering Department, Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology, Rajshahi, Bangladesh Email address: afrinmeno@gmail.com To cite this article: Habiba Afrin. Stabilization of Clayey Soils Using Chloride Components. American Journal of Civil Engineering. Vol. 5, No. 6, 2017, pp. 365-370. doi: 10.11648/j.ajce.20170506.18 Received: June 2, 2017; Accepted: July 5, 2017; Published: November 29, 2017 Abstract: Soils exhibit generally undesirable engineering properties. Soil Stabilization is the alteration of soils to enhance their physical properties. Stabilization can increase the shear strength of a soil and/or control the shrink-swell properties of a soil, thus improving the load bearing capacity of a sub-grade to support pavements and foundations. Stabilization and its effect on soil indicate the reaction mechanism with additives, effect on its strength, improve and maintain soil moisture content and suggestion for construction systems. The main objective of this paper is to improve the physical and chemical properties of clay soil by using chemical additives like chloride compounds as NaCl, CaCl 2 and MgCl 2 . Various proportions of NaCl, CaCl 2 and MgCl 2 was mixed with soil and basic engineering properties such as specific gravity, liquid limit, compaction characteristics and consolidation parameters were determined. It has been observed that an addition of different percentages like 4%, 8% and 12% of chloride compounds into clayey soils increased the dry density and decreased the moisture content. The liquid limit, plastic limit and plasticity index decreased with the increase in chemical content. This appears due to the fact that addition of NaCl, CaCl 2 and MgCl 2 filled up the voids between particles of soil as particle size of NaCl, CaCl 2 and MgCl 2 is smaller than soil particles and can be easily replaced the voids. The compression index and swelling index was decreased with the increase in chloride compound percentage. Keywords: Soil Stabilization, Clay Soil, Grain Size Distribution, Atterberg Limits, Standard Proctor Test, Consolidation 1. Introduction Soil stabilization may be defined as the alteration or preservation of one or more soil properties to improve the engineering characteristics and performance of a soil. Stabilization, in a broad sense, incorporates the various methods employed for modifying the properties of a soil to improve its engineering performance. Soil stabilization refers to the procedure in which a special soil, cementing material, or other chemical materials are added to a natural soil to improve one or more of its properties. One may achieve stabilization by mechanically mixing the natural soil and stabilizing material together so as to achieve a homogeneous mixture or by adding stabilizing material to an undisturbed soil deposit and obtaining interaction by letting it permeate through soil voids [1]. Soil stabilizing additives are used to improve the properties of less-desirable rood soils. When used these stabilizing agents can improve and maintain soil moisture content, increase soil particle cohesion and serve as cementing and water proofing agents [2]. A difficult problem in civil engineering works exists when the sub-grade is found to be clay soil. Soils having high clay content have the tendency to swell when their moisture content is allowed to increase [3]. When the mechanical stability of a soil cannot be obtained by combining materials, it may be advisable to stabilize the soil by adding lime, cement, bituminous materials or special additives. Many research have been done on the subject of soil stabilization using various additives, the most common methods of soil stabilization of clay soils in pavement work are cement and lime stabilization. The high strengths obtained from cement and lime stabilization may not always be required, however, and there is justification for seeking cheaper additives which may be used to alter the soil properties. Lime or calcium carbonate is oldest traditional chemical stabilizer used for soil stabilization. However soil stabilization using lime, sodium carbonate, sodium chloride, calcium chloride and magnesium chloride involve advantages and disadvantages. The study provides details of advantages and disadvantages of using chemicals above as soil stabilizer.