International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research, Volume 4, Issue 4, April-2013 456

ISSN 2229-5518

Influence of Blast Furnace Slag on the

Consistency Limits of the Black Cotton Soil

Noorina Tarannum, R.K. Yadav.

Abstract—Constructions on the expansive soils are being report ed with problems worldwide by practising engineers. In India, black cotton soil is the m ain expansive type of soil, due t o its extensive presence throughout the stretch of the country. The soil produces dam aging effects over the structure construct ed over it due to the voluminous variations with the moisture content. The problematic properties of the Black cott on soil are to be dealt within order to decrease the detrimental effect on the civil engineering structure for prolonged life. Many experim ents are done to improve the engineering properties of the soil. This paper presents the variation in the index properties of the black cotton soil due the addition of Blast furnace slag. The Blast furnace slag is an industrial waste product obtained during st eel m anufacturing. It has been observed that the plasticity characteristics of BC soil im proves cosiderably on addition of BFS.

Index Terms— Black cotton soil(BC), Blast furnace slag(BFS), Expansive soil, Problem atic properties, voluminous variations.

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1. INTRODUCTION

IN India the black cotton soil covers an area of about 0.8 million sq. km. which is about 20% of the total land area. It is considered as problematic soil due to detrimental volume changes with variation in moisture content. When it comes in contact with water it shows immense swelling whereas it shrinks with the decrease in water content and develops cracks on drying. This soil becomes slushy during monsoons and hard during the dry seasons. The clay minerals such as Illite and montmorillonite are responsible for this kind of soil behaviour. Huge voluminous variation in the soil by alternative shrinkage and swelling damages the civil engineering structure constructed over it.When the soil at the site is not ideal for construction, the engineer can go for removing or replacing the soil with the desirable one or by stabilizing the soil mass.Thus, the need of treating soil arises in order to utilize the locally available soil.

Now-a-days the utilization of waste products with soil has gained attention due to the shortage of suitable soil and increasing problems of industrial waste management. The Blast furnace slag is a by-product obtained during the steel manufacturing in blast furnace.Its annual production in India is around 10.0 million tonnes. Use of waste materials in thetreatment or improvement of the soil properties is of great interest since this would lead to cost effectiveness as well as Eco friendliness of the construction.

2. SAMPLE PREPARATION

The samples used in the study are prepared by blending black cotton soil with different percentage of blast furnace
slag, using lime as stabilizer. The samples are prepared as such-
 The black cotton soil, lime, blast furnace slag are oven dried separately.
 The oven dried black cotton soil, lime (5%) and blast furnace slag (5 %, 10 %,15 %, 20 %,25%) are mixed in proportions by weight to form various mixes.
 The formed dry mixes are being blended together with water in order to get a homogenous blend.
 The formed blends are kept aside for 24 hours and then oven dried.
 These oven dried blends are now ready for laboratory testing and treated as samples.
The tests were conducted as per relevant IS codes.

3. MATERIALS AND PROPERTIES Black cotton soil-The soil sample is collected from Kaladhoomar near ManihariKala, Jabalpur in Madhya

Pradesh. The properties of the soil sample collected from
the site tabulated as such:

S no.	Particulars	Observation
1.	Specific Gravity	2.2
2.	Liquid Limit	51
3.	Plastic Limit	29.63
4.	Shrinkage limit	14.56
5.	Passing 75µ sieve	98 %

Table 1 Properties of Black cotton soil

International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research, Volume 4, Issue 4, April-2013 457

ISSN 2229-5518

Blast furnace Slag -The Blast furnace slag used in the study is collected from the disposal site of Bhilai Steel plant, Bhilai, Chattisgarh. It is a non- metallic by-product

produced in the iron making in a blast furnace consisting of silicates, alumino silicates and calcium alumina- silicates.

Table 2 Chemical Properties of Blast furnace slag.

Sample III –Black cotton soil with 5% blast furnace slag and Stabilizer
Sample. IV –Black cotton soil with 10% blast furnace slag and Stabilizer
Sample V –Black cotton soil with 15% blast furnace slag and Stabilizer.
Sample VI –Black cotton soil with 20% blast furnace slag and Stabilizer
Sample VII –Black cotton soil with 25% blast furnace slag and Stabilizer

Table 4 Resulting observations of Black cotton soil blended with Blast furnace slag.

Source-http://www.vebsar.com/blast_furnace_slag.html

Table 3 Physical Properties of Blast furnace slag.

The soil testing of index properties are done as per

I.S.2720 (part 5)-1985 and the results are plotted as such-

100

Liquid limit

0.01 0.1 particl 1 ize,mm

10 100

I II III IV V VI VII

Figure 2 Variation in liquid limit.

Figure 1 Particle size distribution of Blast furnace slag.

4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The laboratory tests are conducted in the Geotechnical laboratory, Jabalpur Engineering College, Jabalpur. The results of the index properties of the Black cotton soil treated with blast furnace slag are shown in table 4; it is observed that with the increase in the percentage of blast furnace slag there is a reduction in the Liquid limit, increase in shrinkage limit and Plasticity index is gradually
decreased. (Figure 1,2,3,4)

Plastic limit

Sample. I –Plain Black cotton soil.
Sample II –Black cotton soil with Stabilizer (5% lime)

I II III IV V VI VII

Figure 3 Variation in Plastic limit

International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research, Volume 4, Issue 4, April-2013 458

ISSN 2229-5518

Shrinkage limit

Shrinka

5. CONCLUSION

 The Liquid limit is decreasing with increase in the amount of blast furnace slag.
 Shrinkage limit is increasing with the increase in the percent of Blast furnace slag .
 The Plasticity Index is gradually decreased.
 With addition of Blast Furnace slag in Black cotton soil, the index properties are improved.
 For proper results the blending of black cotton

I II III IV V VI VII

Figure 4 Variation in shrinkage limit. Plasticity Index

soil and blast furnace should be done in presence
of water to attain homogeneity.

6. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The authors received great help from the scholars whose

Plasticity Index

Plasticity

Index

articles are cited and included in the references of this paper.
Authors are also greatful to the Authors/editors/Publishers of all those articles, journals and books from where the literature for this article has been reviewed and discussed.

I II III IV V VI VII

Figure 5 Variation in Plasticity Index.

REFERENCES

[1] Phanikumar, B.R., Amshumalini C.,Karthika (2009), “Effect of lime on Engineering Behaviour of Expansive clays.” I.G.C., Guntur, India.
[2] Giri, Padmini and Savarkundlawala, Murtuza (2004), “Influence of Flyash-Sand on engineering characteristics of Expansive soil.Proceedings of Indian Geotechnical Conference.
[3] HigginsD.D,KinuthiaJ.M.,Thomas
B.,(2002)“Pyrite oxidation , expansion of stabilized clay and the effects of ggbs”, 4th European Symp.on the performance of Bituminous and Hydraulic materialin Pavements, University of Nottingham UK.
Association.
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Noorina Tarannum, student of masters degree in Geotechnical engineering in Jabalpur Engineering, Madhya Pradesh, India.

Email-noorinatarannum05@gmail.com

R.K.Yadav, Associate Professor, Civil Engineering Department, Jabalpur Engineering College, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India.

Email-rkyadav07@gmail.com
[4] Holtz, W.G. and Gibbs, H. J.
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[7] IS:2720 (Part 5) 1985.
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[15] http://www.vebsar.com/blast_furnace_slag.html