Proceedings of Indian Geotechnical Conference

December 15-17,2011, Kochi (Paper No.L-071)

COMPACTION AND CBR CHARACTERISTICS OF LIME STABILISED POND ASH


M.V.S.Sreedhar, Asst. Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, OU, Hyderabad, email: mvs_sreedhar@ yahoo.com
Kunduru.Manoj, ME Student, Department of Civil Engineering, OU, Hyderabad,email:manojreddyk119@gmail.com


ABSTRACT: There is need for increasing the utilisation of coal ashes. Pond Ash being a non-plastic cohesionless material
has potential to be used as an overlay. However, the fly by air nature of the pond ash is to be controlled by stabilisation.
In view of this, efforts are made in this project to stabilise the pond ash with Lime in various substitution levels
2%,5%,10% and 20%. The effect of lime on compaction and CBR characteristics are observed systematically including the
role of curing period. For the materials used in this research when pond ash was substituted by 20% of Lime and cured for
28 days, the CBR value was found to be 156%. This study brings out the promising performance of Lime stabilised Pond
Ash as an overlay.


INTRODUCTION
Generation of electric power and construction of
pavements are two key sectors of infrastructure
development. While coal based thermal power generation is
producing huge quantites of environmentally hazardous
coal ashes that deserve utilisation, the construction of
pavements on soft subgrades is requiring a mechanically
stable overlays. Pond Ash being a mechanically stable
material, has potential to be used as an overlay on soft sub-
grades, provided the Fly by Air nature is controlled. In
view of this efforts are made in this research to stabilise the
pond ash using lime which control the fly by air nature vis a
vis increases the CBR value leading to economy.

REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Limited studies are carried out on the engineering
behaviour of Pond Ash. A.K.Bera et.al. [1], Raju Sarkar
[2],Raj Padam[3] have studied the compaction
characteristics of Pond Ash. Amalendu Ghosh et.al.
[4],Goutam Kumar Pothal and G.Venkatappa Rao[5] have
studied the bearing capacity of geosynthetic reinforced
pond ash. Kumar, R et.al. [6], Temel Yetimoglu et.al. [7]
have studied the behavior of pond ash reinforced with
randomly distributed fibers. Kolay,P.K. et.al. [8] have used
pond ash as a sabiliser of Peaty soil.

Sudeep Kumar Chand et.al. [9] have attempted in-place
stailisation of pond ash deposit by hydrated lime columns
and concluded that, this technique was effective in
increasing the unconfined compressive strength and
decreasing the permeability. In addition, the contamination
potential of the ash leachates was reduced. Ambarish Ghosh
et.al. [10] have attempted stabilization of pond ash using
lime and phosphor-gypsum and found that,the content of
stabilizers and the curing period are influential on the
bearing ratio values.

STATEMENT OF THE PROJECT
The objective, necessity and scope of this project are as
given below.
Objective
The primary objective of this project is to invetigate the the
effect of stabiliser content on compaction and CBR
characteristics of Pond Ash stabilised with lime. The
objective include studying effect of curing period on CBR
value of the lime stabilised pond ash.

Necessity
The coal ashes generated by Thermal Power Plants in India
is currently about 170 million metric tons per annum, which
is projected to reach a level of 300 mmta by 2032. The ash
ponds are occupying huge area of land and their
maintenance has become costly. It is therefore appropriate
to utilise the pond ash than to maintain the ash ponds. Use
of pond ash as an overlay on soft sub-grade of pavements is
one such potential application, provided the fly by air
nature of pond ash is controlled by cementing methods of
stabilisation. Lime is one such stabiliser. It is therefore
necessary to investigate the effect of lime on compaction
and CBR characteristics of the lime stabilised pond ash.

Scope
Scope of this project is limited to studying the mechanism
at macroscopic level in terms of compaction and CBR
characteristics. The tests are conducted using one type of
pond ash and lime.

METHODOLOGY
The methodology include
Collection and characterisation of Pond Ash
Collection and characterisation of Lime
Conducting compaction & CBR tests as per
scheme of experiments
Analysis of results and formulation of conclusions.

Characterisation of Pond Ash
The pond ash used in this project is collected from NTPC,
Ramagundam, Andhra Pradesh during June,2011 from near
the delivery point. The engineering properties of the pond
ash are as shown in table.1.

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Kunduru.Manoj & M.V.S.Sreedhar
Table 1 Engineering characteristics of Pond Ash
Parameter Value Units
Specific Gravity 1.97
Particle Size distribution
Gravel Size particles
Sand Size particles
Silt size particles

7.19 %
80.52 %
12.29 %
Consistency Non-Plastic
Coefficient of uniformity, Cu
Coefficient of curvature, Cc
IS Heavy Compaction test results
4.65
0.84
Maximum Dry Density 1.17 g/cc
Optimum Moisture content 28.90 %
Classification as per IS:1498-1970 SP

Characteristics of Lime
The lime of Suryacem brand is purchased from the local
market. Its composition is as given in table.2.

Table 2 Composition of Lime
Parameter Value Units
CaO 90 %
C
3
A
Other ingredients
3 %
7 %

Compaction and CBR tests
The IS Heavy compaction test is performed on un-stabilised
and lime stabilised pond ash. The sample for CBR test is
prepared at OMC and the tests are conducted with a
surcharge of 5kg. All the laboratory tests are performed
strictly in accordance with the provisions of IS:2720. The
moulding density of CBR samples is constantly monitored
and the tests are repeated where ever discrepancy is noticed

RESULTS AND OBSERVATIONS
The test results are presented in table 3.
Based on the results, the following observations are made.

Effect of Lime on compaction characteristics
As it can be seen from fig.1, higher the lime content, higher
is the MDD. This may be due to the fact that, the lime with
better plasticity at OMC is facilitating rearrangement of
pond ash particles in a better way.

Table 3 Test results

Fig. 1 Effect of lime on MDD

Effect of Lime on OMC
Fig.2, shows that, as the lime content is increasing, the
OMC is decreasing. This is different from the behaviour of
soils wherein increase in fines causes an increase in gross
specific surface and hence increase in OMC. This
difference may be due to the fact that, the pond ash
particles consist of cavities. Hence, a portion of OMC is
consumed to fill these intraparticle cavities over and above
the water present in the interparticle voids that facilitate
compaction process. When lime is admixed, it may be
sealing these cavities thereby conserving the entry of water
in to the cavities and hence a decrease in OMC. The
effectiveness of sealing may be increasing with the increase
in lime content and thus a progressive decrease in OMC is
observed.

Effect of Lime content on CBR value
As can be seen from fig.3, higher the substitution level of
lime, higher is the CBR value at all periods of curing. This
may be due to the fact that, higher lime content produces
higher cementing agents which bind the particles
effectively.

Effect of curing period on CBR value
As it can be seen from Fig.4, as the curing period is
increasing, the percentage increase in CBR value is also
increasing for every percentage of lime. The rate of
increase is higher after 7 days of curing. This may be due to


Pond Ash (%) Lime (%)
Heavy Compaction test results Soaking period in Days
MDD (g/cc) OMC (%) 0 4 7 28
100 0 1.17 28.9 38.4 36.1
98 2 1.32 21.9 54 62 75 89
95 5 1.33 19.6 60 71 78 91
90 10 1.36 17.1 66 80 98 126
80 20 1.39 13.7 76 85 113 156
Effect of Lime on OMC
Fig.2, shows that, as the lime content is increasing, the OMC
is decreasing. This is different from the behaviour of soils
wherein increase in fines causes an increase in gross specific
surface and hence increase in OMC. This difference may be
due to the fact that, the pond ash particles consist of cavities.
Hence, a portion of OMC is consumed to fill these intraparticle
cavities over and above the water present in the interparticle
voids that facilitate compaction process. When lime is admixed,
it may be sealing these cavities thereby conserving the entry
of water in to the cavities and hence a decrease in OMC. The
effectiveness of sealing may be increasing with the increase
in lime content and thus a progressive decrease in OMC is
observed.
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Compaction and CBR characteristics of lime stabilised pond ash



Fig. 2 Effect of lime on OMC
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
0 5 10 15 20 25
C
B
R
(
%
)
SUBSTITUTION(%)
unsoaked
3-days
soaked

Fig. 3 Effect of lime content on CBR value

the fact that, the minimum time required for completion of
colloidal stage of reactions followed by pozzolonic stage
reactions is generally 72 hours. Hence, production of
cementing agents commences from 3days onwards. This
may be reason for the poor increase in CBR value up to
first 4 days and from there are on progressive increase has
taken place due to development of cementing agents.

Fig. 4 Effect of curing on CBR value

CONCLUSIONS
Based on the experimental results found during this project,
the following conclusions are made
1. The CBR characteristics of Lime stabilised pond ash
are improved phenomenally over un-stabilised pond
ash.
2. Higher the lime content higher is the improvement in
CBR value at all stages of curing.
3. Higher the curing period higher is the improvement in
CBR value for all percentages of lime.\
4. For the materials used in this research the CBR values
recorded were in the range of 54% to 156%. The
minimum was for 2% lime with 4 days of curing and
the maximum was for 20% of lime with 28 days of
curing.
5. Stabilisation of pond ash with lime not only control its
fly by air nature but also improves the CBR value
significantly. Hence, it can be used as an effective
overlay on soft subgrade of pavements.

REFERENCE
1. Ashis Kumar Bera et al, Compaction Characteristics
of Pond Ash Journal of Materials in Civil
Engineering, Vol. 19, No. 4, April 2007, pp. 349-357.
2. Raju Sarkar, Compaction characteristics of pond ash
10
th
International Symposium on Environmental
Geotechnology and Sustainable Development,2009
3. Raj Padam Compaction Characteristics and Shear
Parameters of Pond Ash B.tech thesis NIT
Rourkela,2010.
4. Amalendu Ghosh et al, Bearing capacity of square
footing on pond ash reinforced with jute-geotextile
journal of Geotextiles and Geomembranes Volume 23,
Issue 2, April 2005, Pages 144-173
5. Goutam Kumar Pothal, G. Venkatappa Rao,
Behaviour of a Strip Footing on Compacted Pond Ash
Reinforced with Coir Geotextiles International
Journal of Advanced Technology in Civil
Engineering,vol.1,
6. Kumar, R., Kanaujia, V.K. and Chandra, D., 1999,
Engineering Behaviour of Fibre-Reinforced Pond Ash
and Silty Sand, Geosynthetics International, Vol. 6,
No. 6, pp. 509-518.
7. Temel Yetimoglu et al, A study on bearing capacity
of randomly distributed fiber-reinforced sand fills
overlying soft clay Geotextiles and Geomembranes
Volume 23, Issue 2, April 2005, Pages 174-183.
8. Kolay, P.K et al, Tropical Peat Soil Stabilization
using Class F Pond Ash from Coal Fired Power Plant
World Academy of Science, Engineering and
Technology pp.74, 2011.
9. Sudeep Kumar Chand et al, In-Place Stabilization of
Pond Ash Deposits by Hydrated Lime Columns
journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental
Engineering ASCE / December 2007 / 1609.
10. Ambarish Ghosh Compaction Characteristics and
Bearing Ratio of Pond Ash Stabilized with Lime and
Phosphogypsum J. Mat. in Civ. Engrg. 22, 343
(2010).


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