Soil Stabilization

Soil Stabilization Application

In principle, soil stabilization is an application where soil (broadly speaking) is altered in some form, either mechanically or chemically, to lock the soil in place and prevent it from moving. It is a process by which a soils physical properties are transformed to provide long-term, permanent strength gains. Stabilization is accomplished by increasing the shear strength and the overall bearing capacity of a soil.

When soil stabilization is used in construction it is typically done to strengthen the soil or keep it from shifting so the structure above the stabilized layer will remain intact for as long as possible. When soil stabilization is used for erosion control it is typically done to keep the top layer of soil in place when water or wind tries to disturb the top layer.

Although there are numerous soil stabilization methods, the most common methods include adding cement to the soil, adding chemicals to change the chemical or physical makeup of the soil, and using mechanical stabilization methods such as compaction. Often, soils that provide the structural base for roads, building pads, or parking lots are chemically treated to control engineering properties of a soil, such as moisture content. Chemical soil stabilization is accomplished by using Lime, or other chemicals such as Cement or Fly Ash. These chemicals depend on pozzolanic reactions which form permanent bonds between soil particles.

Olive & Branch M&D offers a non-toxic, non-allergenic, non-flammable, and non-corrosive liquid concentrated soil stabilizer that treats and stabilizes all 17 AASHTO soil classifications except A-8 Peat.

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