Cement soil stabilization is a ground improvement technique that involves mixing soil with cementitious binders to enhance its engineering properties. Based on the provided reference, a common procedure specifically involves the mixing of soils with injected cement in situ.
Understanding the Core Procedure
The fundamental principle is to transform weak or unstable soil into a stronger, more durable material by introducing and blending cement directly within the soil mass. This is typically achieved without excavating and replacing the soil, making it an in situ process.
Key Steps Based on Reference
According to the reference, one method for this procedure utilizes specialized equipment:
- Tool Insertion: Large augers, which are equipped with a hollow central tube, are advanced into the ground where stabilization is required.
- Fixing Agent Injection: While the augers are in the ground, the fixing agent, which is the cement (often as a grout or slurry), is injected through the hollow central tube within the auger.
- In Situ Mixing: The rotation and action of the augers simultaneously mix the injected cement thoroughly with the surrounding soil in situ.
This process creates columns or panels of stabilized soil, improving load-bearing capacity, reducing compressibility, and decreasing permeability.
Equipment Utilized (as per reference)
- Large Augers: These are the primary tools used for both penetrating the soil and mixing the cement.
- Hollow Central Tube: An integral part of the augers, used for injecting the cement slurry or grout.
This method, involving in situ mixing with injected binder via specialized tools like augers with hollow tubes, is an effective way to perform cement soil stabilization, particularly in challenging ground conditions.