Peat soil stabilization using Magnesium Chloride

Abstract

Peat soil is a one of the worse soil to be used as subgrade layer and very problematic due to high moisture content, high void ratio and high compressibility. Peat soils are found in large quantities in Malaysia especially in Sarawak. The peat soil is very important because this soil much weaker and more compressible than inorganic (mineral) soils. This paper will present the effect of peat soil with chemical stabilizer in terms of compressive strength. The chemical that used for this study is Magnesium Chloride (MgCl2) with the percent content of the stabilizer is 3%, 6%, 9%, 12% and 15% by weight of soil sample. For this research, the peat soil taken from Ulu Sikat, Mukah, Sarawak. Atterberg Limit Test is carried out to obtain the liquid limit and plastic limit value. Standard proctor test are used to determine the Optimum Moisture Content (OMC) and Maximum Dry Density (MDD) for untreated soil. The value of OMC & MDD that determine from the compaction test were used to prepared sample for Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS). The samples were cured at 3, 7 and 28 days and UCS was carried out to determine the compressive strength of soil samples at optimum moisture content. From this research, it observed that the strength of soil mixed with MgCl2 increase with the time. The highest value of compressive strength that obtained from this study is 96 kPa which is peat soil mixed with 6% MgCl2 at 28 days curing time. Peat soil mixed with 6% content MgCl2 was chosen as the optimum value that was added to the peat soil for microstructure analysis.