Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Stabilization of Tropical Peat Soil from Sarawak with Different Stabilizing Agents

  • Technical note
  • Published:
Geotechnical and Geological Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper describes a study on tropical peat soil stabilization to improve its physical properties by using different stabilizing agents. The samples were collected from six different locations of Sarawak, Malaysia, to evaluate their physical or index properties. Out of them, sample having the highest percentage of organic content has been selected for stabilization purposes. In this study, ordinary portland cement (OPC), quick lime (QL), and class F fly ash (FA) were used as stabilizer. The amount of OPC, QL, and FA added to the peat soil sample, as percentage of dry soil mass, were in the range of 5–20%; 5–20% and 2–8%, respectively for the curing periods of 7, 14, and 28 days. The Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) test was carried out on treated/stabilized samples with the above mentioned percentages of the stabilizer and the result shows that the UCS value increases significantly with the increase of all stabilizing agent used and also with curing periods. However, in case of FA and QL, the UCS value increases up to 15 and 6%, respectively with a curing period of 28 days but decreases rather steady beyond this percentage. Some UCS tests have been conducted with a mixture of FA and QL to study the combined effect of the stabilizer. In addition, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) study was carried out on original peat soil and FA, as well as some treated samples in order to study their microstructures.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • ASTM C 618 (1994) Specification for coal fly ash and raw or calcined natural pozzolan for use as a mineral admixture in Portland cement concrete. Annual book of ASTM standards, vol 04.02. ASTM, Philadelphia, pp 296–298

  • ASTM D 1997 (1996) Standard test method for laboratory determination of the fiber content of peat samples by dry mass, annual book of ASTM standards. ASTM, Philadelphia

    Google Scholar 

  • ASTM D 2166 (2000) Standard test method for unconfined compressive strength of cohesive soil. Annual book of ASTM standards. ASTM, Philadelphia

    Google Scholar 

  • ASTM D 2607 (1990) Classification of peats, mosses, humus, and related products. Annual book of ASTM standards. ASTM, Philadelphia

    Google Scholar 

  • ASTM D 2974 (2000) Standard test method for moisture, ash, and organic matter of peat and other organic soils. Book of ASTM standards. ASTM, Philadelphia

    Google Scholar 

  • BS 1377 (1990) Methods of test for soils for civil engineering purposes, Part 1–4. British Standards Institution, London, UK

  • Edil TB (2003) Recent advancements in geotechnical characterization and construction over peat and organic soil. In: Huat et al. (ed) Proceeding of 2nd international conference on advances in soft soil engineering and technology. Putrajaya, Malaysia, pp 3–35

  • Hebib S, Farrell RE (2003) Some experiences on the stabilization of Irish peats. Can Geotech J 40:107–120

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huat BBK (2004) Organic and peat soils engineering. University Putra Malaysia, pp 5–11

  • Huat BBK, Shukri MS, Mohamed TA (2005) Effect of chemical admixtures on the engineering properties of tropical peat soils. Am J Appl Sci 2(7):1113–1120

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kolay PK, Suraya NBR (2007) Stabilization of organic soil by different types of stabilizer. International conference on civil engineering in the new millennium: opportunities and challenges (CENeM). BESU, Shibpur

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolay PK, Aminur MR, Taib SNL (2011) Effect of alkali on tropical peat stabilized with different stabilizers. Int J Geotech Eng 5(2):189–197

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mutalib AA, Lim JS, Wong MH, Koonvai L (1991) Characterization, distribution and utilization of peat in Malaysia, tropical peat. In: Proceeding of the international symposium on tropical peatland, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia, pp 7–16

  • Skempton AW, Petley DJ (1970) Ignition loss and other properties of peats and clays from Avonmouth, King’s Lynn and Cranberry Moss. Geotechniques 20(4):343–356

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Von Post L (1922) Sveriges Geologiska Undersøknings Torvinventering Och Nogra Av Dess Hittils Vunna Resultat (SGU peat inventory and some preliminary results) Svenska Mosskulturføreningens Tidsskrift, Jønkøping, Sweden 36

  • Wong LS, Roslan H, Faisal HA (2008) Engineering behaviour of stabilized peat soil. Eur J Sci Res 21(4):581–591

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The author would like to acknowledge the MOSTI for financial support (Grant no. 03-01-09-SF0032).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, University Malaysia Sarawak, 94300, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia

    M. R. Aminur, S. N. L. Taib & M. I. S. Mohd Zain

  2. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 1230 Lincoln Drive, Eng. MC 6603, Carbondale, 62901, IL, USA

    P. K. Kolay

Authors
  1. P. K. Kolay
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M. R. Aminur
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S. N. L. Taib
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. M. I. S. Mohd Zain
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to P. K. Kolay.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kolay, P.K., Aminur, M.R., Taib, S.N.L. et al. Stabilization of Tropical Peat Soil from Sarawak with Different Stabilizing Agents. Geotech Geol Eng 29, 1135–1141 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-011-9441-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-011-9441-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation