CHEMICAL STABILIZATION OF SABKHA SOILS AT HIGH-MOISTURE CONTENTS

Vast expanses of arid, saline soils that occur along the Arabian Gulf seaboard and elsewhere possess a very low density and strength that ne cessitate improvement before any actual construction takes place. For large-scale constructions, several field improvement techniques have r ecently been implemented with various degrees of success. In surficial , small-scale applications, chemical stabilization provides a potentia l technique to improve the inferior properties of these soils, known l ocally as sabkha. A literature search indicates that chemical stabiliz ation of soils using asphalt, lime and cement is usually conducted at lower moisture contents than the optimum. Such moisture contents are a lso much lower than the natural moisture content of sabkha, and if app lied to sabkha in the field, this would require lowering the moisture content before any stabilization commenced; which would be neither fea sible nor economical. In this investigation, an eastern Saudi sabkha s oil was chemically stabilized at its natural moisture level, which var ies from 16% to 22%. In addition to the characterization of the soil a nd standard compaction tests, cement and lime sabkha mixtures were pre pared at five additions and cured for up to 90 days in plastic wrap. R esults indicate that cement-stabilizad sabkha gained high strength wit h time and proved to have a potential use in construction.