EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON STRENGTH AND GEOMECHANICAL BEHAVIOR OF FLY ASH BASED GEOPOLYMER STABILIZED CLAY
DOI: 
SHARE THIS ARTICLE
DOWNLOAD ARTICLE
REVIEW REPORT
CITE THIS ARTICLE
Expansive clay soils possess low shear strength, high compressibility, and excessive swelling characteristics, which create severe challenges in geotechnical engineering applications. Conventional stabilization methods using cement and lime improve soil properties but contribute significantly to carbon emissions and environmental degradation. In the present study, an eco-friendly stabilization technique using fly ash–based geopolymer activated with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) was investigated to improve the strength and geomechanical behavior of expansive clay soil. Class F fly ash and NaOH solution were used as geopolymeric binders in different proportions. Three combinations consisting of 5% fly ash + 8 M NaOH, 10% fly ash + 10 M NaOH, and 15% fly ash + 12 M NaOH were prepared and tested.Preliminary tests including specific gravity, Atterberg limits, compaction characteristics, and Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) were carried out on untreated soil. Stabilized specimens were cured for seven days and subjected to UCS testing. The untreated clay exhibited a UCS value of 42 kPa, whereas stabilized samples achieved significant improvements. The optimum mix containing 10% fly ash with 10 M NaOH produced the highest UCS value of 185 kPa, corresponding to approximately 340% improvement over untreated clay. The results indicate that fly ash–based geopolymer stabilization considerably enhances the strength, stiffness, and load-bearing capacity of expansive clay while reducing plasticity. The study confirms that geopolymer stabilization can serve as a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional chemical stabilizers in geotechnical engineering applications.
Keywords
Article Information
Article Metrics
HOW TO CITE
Copy
M, K. (2026). Experimental Study on Strength and Geomechanical Behavior of Fly Ash Based Geopolymer Stabilized Clay. International Journal of Science, Strategic Management and Technology, 02(05). https://doi.org/10.55041/ijsmt.v2i5.185
M, KARTHICK. "Experimental Study on Strength and Geomechanical Behavior of Fly Ash Based Geopolymer Stabilized Clay." International Journal of Science, Strategic Management and Technology, vol. 02, no. 05, 2026, pp. . doi:https://doi.org/10.55041/ijsmt.v2i5.185.
M, KARTHICK. "Experimental Study on Strength and Geomechanical Behavior of Fly Ash Based Geopolymer Stabilized Clay." International Journal of Science, Strategic Management and Technology 02, no. 05 (2026). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.55041/ijsmt.v2i5.185.
References
2.Al-Gharbawi, A. S. A., Najemalden, A. M., Fattah, M. Y., 2023, “Expansive Soil Stabilization with Lime, Cement, and Silica Fume,” Applied Sciences, Vol. 13, No. 1.
3.Almuaythir, S., Zaini, M. S. I., Hasan, M., Hoque, M. I., 2024, “Sustainable Soil Stabilization Using Industrial Waste Ash: Enhancing Expansive Clay Properties,” Heliyon, Vol. 10.
4.Zaini, M. S. I., Hasan, M., 2024, “Stabilization of Expansive Soil Using Silica Fume and Lime,” Construction Journal.
5.Onyelowe, K. C., et al., 2021, “Stabilization of Expansive Clayey Soil with Optimum Percentages of Lime, Fly Ash, and Micro-Silica,” Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
6.Zand, A. R., Jafarzadeh, M., Abbasnejad, M., 2023, “Combined Effect of Lime, Fly Ash, and Nanoparticles on Expansive Soil Stabilization,” Construction and Building Materials, Vol. 380.
7.Wang, Z., Li, J., Zhou, C., Zhang, H., 2020, “Experimental Study on Expansive Soil Modified by Industrial Wastes and Lime under Freeze–Thaw Cycles,” Cold Regions Science and Technology, Vol. 170.
8.Sarkar, R., Raghuvanshi, V., Singh, P. K., 2019, “Performance of Expansive Soil Stabilized with a Blend of Waste Materials: A Review,” International Journal of Geosynthetics and Ground Engineering, Vol. 5.
9.Jiang, N., Wang, C., Wang, Z., Li, B., 2021, “Strength and Microstructure of Cement-Stabilized Soft Clay Admixed with Silica Fume,” Materials, Vol. 14.
10.Xu, L., Wang, X., Qi, Y., Yuan, C., Ding, Z., Xu, R., 2024, “Strength Model for Cement-Stabilized Marine Clay: SEM Image Analysis and Microstructural Insights,” Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, Vol. 13.
Ethics and Compliance
Indexed In
Similar Articles
Previous Article
