Evaluating the impact of nanomaterials on soil strength parameters

This study investigates the impact of nanomaterials on soil strength parameters. This project is carried out according to laboratory tests to determine the impact of nano-silica on the compressive strength and plasticity properties of soil. This project covers the operation of injecting nano-silica into the remoulded soil of Yazd University region, and performing the CPT test as the executive studies in addition to the analysis of nanoparticles by SEM (scanning electron microscope) and AFM (atomic force microscope) images of soil samples. These tests are done for two methods with and without nanomaterials, and then the results are compared. According to the results, nano-silica increases the Plastic Limit (PL) slightly and Liquid Limit (LL) considerably; hence, the addition of nano-silica will increase the Plasticity Index (PI) of soil. Following the increase in nano-silica, the soil compressive strength is also increased; the more the curing time increases, the more the compressive strength will be enhanced. The average rate of increase in compressive strength with time will be increased by increasing the percentage of nano-silica. Based on the results of field and laboratory tests for the injection of nanomaterials and according to silica cementation between soil particles, the nano-silica injection has resulted in the increased CPT strength of soil; hence it is offered as a suitable solution.

Keywords:

Nano-silica , injection , SEM and AFM analyses , strength parameters