Innovative Approaches to Stability of Embankment - A Role of Chemical Stabilization in Erosion Mitigation

Abstract

This study explores new ways to make embankments stronger using chemicals to prevent erosion. The research tests how well chemicals like SB-95 and TX-95 can stabilize sandy soil commonly found there. First, the soil was tested to understand its qualities like how fine or coarse it is, how much water it can hold, and how compact it is. Then, SB-95 and TX-95 were mixed with the soil in different amounts. Blocks of this mixture were made and left to harden for 3, 7, 14, and 28 days. These blocks were tested to see how strong they became over time. To simulate real conditions, a small embankment was built inside a clear box. This embankment used the stabilized soil blocks. Tests were done to measure how strong the embankment was using different amounts of SB-95 and TX-95. Another test involved making a slope with treated sand (mixed with 10% SB-95) in a box. After drying, water was added, and sensors measured how wet the sand became at different depths. This showed how well SB-95 could stop water from getting into the soil and causing erosion. The stabilized soil outperformed the untreated soil in terms of erosion resistance, according to the submerged embankment test. The stabilized soil's rate of moisture infiltration doesn’t change. According to SEM pictures, the physicochemical reactions between the soil stabilizer and soil particles form bonds that increase the permeability, decrease erosion resistance, and strengthen sandy soil. The fact that thin film fragments were seen outside of the soil particles suggests that the sand particles were successfully coated and developed resistance to erosion. During the testing time, we saw the effect of temperature; at higher temperatures, we also noticed a significantly higher rate of strength gain. Tests on Gazipur's soil confirmed it is mostly sandy with some silt. This helped understand if SB 95 and TX-95 could work well there to prevent erosion. Results showed that using 10% SB-95 made the soil blocks much stronger, which could help prevent erosion in Gazipur. In conclusion, SB-95 and TX-95 are effective in keeping soil stable and preventing erosion in different weather and soil conditions. This research shows how these chemicals can be used to build strong and sustainable infrastructure in places like Gazipur where erosion is a big problem.