Stabilization of clayey soil using ultrafine palm oil fuel ash

(POFA) and cement

Shahram Pourakbara, ,
Afshin Asadib,
Bujang B.K. Huata,
Mohammad Hamed Fasihnikoutalaba, b
a Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang,

Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

b Housing Research Centre, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor

Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

Received 8 October 2014, Revised 5 January 2015, Accepted 29 January 2015, Available online
7 February 2015

Abstract
Palm oil fuel ash (POFA) in both cost-effective and environmentally friendly ways has
potential applications in soft soil stabilization. This study investigates the possible uses of
POFA (individually and in combination with cement) on several basic characteristics of
clayey soil behavior, such as proctor compaction, Atterberg limit, and unconfined
compression strength (UCS). These properties are compared with those of unstabilized
clay and stabilized clay with cement. Scanning electron microscopy with X-ray
microanalysis is conducted on untreated and treated soil to elucidate their strength
development, and the observed test results are then explained. Findings show that POFA
and POFA/cement mixture treatments result in significant reductions in the soil plasticity
index (PI). The results of the compaction test indicate that the utilization of POFA and
POFA/cement mixture in soft soil stabilization decreases the optimum moisture content
and increases the maximum dry density across selected binder dosages. The results
show that using POFA alone to stabilize clayey soil results in a slight increase in the UCS
of the specimens until the 28 days of curing, whereas combining POFA with cement
results in a sharp increase in the UCS of the samples in the same curing time. The results
demonstrate the environmental, technological, and economic advantages of utilizing this
well known agricultural waste as a partial substitute for cement in stabilizing soils,
particularly soft soils that usually demand high quantities of stabilizer to reach satisfactory
results.

Keywords
Soil stabilization;
Palm oil fuel ash;
Clayey soil
Corresponding author.

Copyright 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214391215000057
 Chapter
Proceedings of the Colloquium on Administrative Science and Technology
pp 533-544
Date: 20 October 2014
Strength Properties of Sustainable Palm Oil Fuel Ash
(POFA)Stabilized Landfill
Mohamad Nidzam Rahmat
, Norsalisma Ismail
, Mohammad Redzwan Raffe

Abstract
Laboratory investigations were carried out to establish the potential utilization
of palm oil fuel ash (POFA) in stabilizing landfill soil. POFA is a waste material
from the palm oil industry in Malaysia. Currently, the disposal of this ash from
a burning process to heat up boilers and generate electricity is a problem for
palm oil companies, and hence an environmental pollution concern. Landfill on
its own and in combination with laterite clay soil was stabilized using POFA
either on its own or in combination with lime or Portland cement (PC). The
traditional stabilizers of lime or PC were used as controls. The main aim was to
investigate the potential of utilizing POFA as sustainable stabilizer material as a
partial replacement of the traditional one. Compacted cylinder test specimens
were made at typical stabilizer contents and moist cured for up to 60 days prior
to testing for compressive and water absorption tests. The results obtained
showed that landfill soil combined with laterite clay (50:50) stabilized with 20 %
POFA: hydrated lime (50:50) and POFA: PC (50:50) recorded the highest values
of compressive strength compared to the other compositions of stabilizers and
soils. However, when the amount of POFA increased in the system the
compressive strength values of the samples tended to decrease. It indicated that,
high amount of POFA reduces the pozzolanic reaction and cementitious
compound, which has a negative effect on soil particle bonding. These results
suggest technological, economic, as well as environmental advantages of using
POFA and similar industrial by-products to achieve sustainable infrastructure
development with near-zero industrial waste.

Keywords
Soil Clay POFA Stabilization Sustainability

http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-981-4585-45-3_51