TITLE:
Microstructure of Fine Clay Soils Stabilized with Sugarcane Molasses
AUTHORS:
Narcisse Malanda, Nice Ngouallat Mfoutou, Erman Eloge Nzaba Madila, Paul Louzolo-Kimbembe
KEYWORDS:
Microstructure, Consolidated, Clayey Fine Soil, Molasses of Sugar Cane, Mesopore, Micropore, Specific Surface Area
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Civil Engineering,
Vol.12 No.2,
June
30,
2022
ABSTRACT: Sugar cane molasses has proved cohesive and excellent performance on soil
aggregates (fine particles). However, the microstructure of consolidated soil
by the molasses is not yet subjected to research. The analysis results of
sample without molasses (0%) and consolidated samples at 8%, 12%, and 16% show that the molasses acts on the structure of clayey
fine soil developing its microstructure of airy matrix type (sample
without molasses (0%) to a microstructure of a qualified type, more solid.
Consolidated samples to 8%, 12%, 16% of
molasses). We also observe the presence of inter-aggregate pores (mesopores) of similar size in all samples. The results of porosimetrical
analyses (BJH) of the sample without molasses and consolidated samples to 8%,
12%, and 16% show that simultaneous porous volumes of samples are reduced with
the increasing of molasses quantity. This latter, therefore, acts on the porous
volume (micropore 2 nm and mesopore 9 nm) by reducing them which really
means, molasses occupies the porous volume of the sample. However, this sample seems not to have any effect on the size
of mesopores 9 nm. Thus, this product induces
the evolution of the soil structure towards the highly dense and condensed
structure. Consequently, materials in consolidated soil by molasses will have mechanical
properties far superior to those of materials consolidated soil without
molasses.