Journal of Environmental Treatment Techniques
2021, Volume 9, Issue 1, Pages: 172-177
J. Environ. Treat. Tech.
ISSN: 2309-1185
Journal web link: http://www.jett.dormaj.com
https://doi.org/10.47277/JETT/9(1)183
Verification of the Effect of Raw Materials Mill Dust
on Soil Stabilization: An Experimental Study
1
*
2
1
Fatima Alsaleh , Feras Al Adday , Ahmed Al-Abu Hussein
1
Department of Transportation Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Aleppo,
2
Middle East University, Amman, Jordan
Received: 26/07/2020
Accepted: 21/10/2020
Published: 20/03/2021
Abstract
Cement plants produce large quantities of dust, which is an important source of pollution. Among these pollutants is raw materials mill
dust (RMMD), it is a dust produced during the grinding of raw materials. RMMD differs in chemical composition from cement kiln dust
(
CKD), where CKD is a by-product that collects in the electrostatic filters of a cement kiln. A lot of studies have been done around the world
to find effective ways to recycle CKD and use it again in soil stabilization to avoid the failure of the entire pavement in the future as well as
an economical and environmental solution, while there is a dearth of research done on RMMD. In this study, the performance of a weak
subgrade for one of the sites in Aleppo city was examined, where its physical and mechanical properties (plasticity index, maximum dry
density, optimum water content, and California bearing ratio (CBR)), were determined. Then RMMD was added to the subgrade samples
according to five ratios 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20% of the dry weight of the soil. The research concluded that adding the RMMD to the weak
subgrade by 20% of its dry weight is the optimal ratio, improved its performance, as the plasticity index decreased by 13%, and the CBR
increased up to 63 %. Thus, the bearing capacity increases, it saves costs and reduces future pavement maintenance.
Keywords: Soil Stabilization, Weak Soil, Mill Dust, Chemical additive
1
which the bearing capacity is enhanced by compaction of the soil
1
Introduction
to a sufficient degree, or by means of piles or application of an
external load on the soil or the use of good drainage of water, or
stone columns [15, 16]. The second technique is chemical
stabilization of soil by a chemical reaction between weak soils
and the added active substance [17, 18]. Among these materials
are lime, gypsum, cement, asphalt, resin, fly ash, and other
materials such as industrial or natural wastes such as the CKD and
rice husk ash [15, 19, 20, 21, 22, and 23]. The common soil
additives are lime and cement (traditional stabilizers) [24].
RMMD is of great importance in the field of civil engineering and
its projects, and one of these uses is to improve weak soils. The
flying dust is captured and collected from the raw material mill of
the cement factory in Hama, Syria through two types of filters,
Electrostatic and Baghouse Filters as well as for the dust flying
throughout the entire manufacturing process of cement.
RMMD has been chosen as a weak soil stabilizer for several
reasons, the most important of which is its large quantities and it
is being a completely new material in this topic of soil
stabilization in road pavement. The fact that the total quantity of
the electric filter of the raw material mill is large when compared
to the Baghouse filter, the research has focused on studying its
effect on soil performance.
The great growth in modern buildings imposed the need for
lands with good bearing capacity to safely withstand high
pressures [1]. One of the important issues facing the pavement
engineer is to provide economically viable layer thicknesses that
are compatible with the site's soil characteristics [2, 3]. The
general case is the lack of alternative design solutions to avoid
weak soils, hence it is necessary to search for low-cost
experimental alternatives [4, 5]. The weak soil has the high
compressibility, poor shear strength, high ratio of moisture, low
workability, which produces extra settlements of soil, and this
makes the construction process on such soils a high probability
issue [6]. For road pavements, soil properties have a major
influence in determining the thickness of the layers above [7].
Thus, road performance and service are greatly influenced by the
stability and stiffness of the subgrade [8, 9]. Consequently, these
soil must be stabilized or treated to increase in its geotechnical
characteristics. the term soil stabilization is a technique in which
weak soil properties are improved to fulfil its functions
(
operational conditions of the road and the subsequent volumetric
changes of soil) as the foundation for the structures based on it
10, 11, 12, 13]. There are two techniques that are widely used for
soil stabilization [14]. The first method is a mechanical method in
[
Corresponding author: Fatima Alsaleh, Department of Transportation Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Aleppo. E-
mail: falkhalil@meu.edu.jo
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