The Effect of Acidic and Alkaline Chemical Solutions on the Behavior of Collapsible Soils

Authors

  • Mohammad Ali Khodabandeh
    Affiliation

    Department of Engineering Geology and Geotechnics, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, H-1111 Budapest, Műegyetem rkp. 3., Hungary

  • Saber Nokande
    Affiliation

    Department of Geotechnical Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Semnan University, 19111-35131 Semnan, Iran

  • Ali Besharatinezhad
    Affiliation

    Department of Engineering Geology and Geotechnics, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, H-1111 Budapest, Műegyetem rkp. 3., Hungary

  • Behnam Sadeghi
    Affiliation

    Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, College of Environment, Karaj 31746-1, Iran

  • Seyed Mahdi Hosseini
    Affiliation

    Department of Geotechnical Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Shahrood University of Technology, 3619995161 Shahrood, Iran

https://doi.org/10.3311/PPci.15643

Abstract

In this research, the effect of acidic and alkaline chemical solutions on the behavior of loessial soil was investigated. To evaluate the severity of acidity and alkalinity of chemicals, two factors sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide were used in the pH of 3, 5, 9, 11. In this research, the effect of acidic and alkaline solutions on the collapse potential, shear strength parameters and unconfined compression of collapsible soils were investigated. Experimental tests results showed that acidic solutions with a low pH increase the collapse potential and effective cohesion of soil and decrease effective internal friction angle; on the other hand, alkaline solutions with a high pH decrease the collapse potential and effective cohesion of the soil and increase effective internal friction angle. The results of unconfined compression tests showed that with increasing the acidity and alkalinity in soil, the undrained strength of the soil decreased. SEM test results showed an increase in soil cavities in acidic solution while the soil cavities were fixed in alkaline solution.

Keywords:

collapsible soil, collapse potential, shear strength, acid, alkali

Published Online

2020-07-16

How to Cite

Khodabandeh, M. A., Nokande, S., Besharatinezhad, A., Sadeghi, B., Hosseini, S. M. “The Effect of Acidic and Alkaline Chemical Solutions on the Behavior of Collapsible Soils”, Periodica Polytechnica Civil Engineering, 64(3), pp. 939–950, 2020. https://doi.org/10.3311/PPci.15643

Issue

Vol. 64 No. 3 (2020)

Section

Research Article