International Journal of Environmental Science and Development

Abstract—Nowadays, strength characteristics of soils have more importance due to increasing building loads. In some projects, geotechnical properties of the soils should be improved. Geotechnical engineers generally use waste materials to improve soil properties but most of these materials have toxic substances such as heavy metal slags, fly ash, silica fume and industrial resins. In this study, the effects of the addition of a plant gum, named as astragalus, grown commonly in Central and East Anatolia, Iran, Iraq, Turkmenistan and Transcaucasia, on the stability and strength parameters of cohessionless soil were investigated. Astragalus is a pure natural and environmental friendly material. Ground water directly affected by soil additives which used for soil improvement. In this investigation, properties of a cohessionless soil were stabilized by using astragalus. In order to find out which rate of the additive caused maximum strength parameters of the soil samples which prepared by using four different replacement amounts of 0%, 3%, 5% and 10% by weight of soil. Maximum dry densities and optimum moisture contents were determined for each mixture. Strength parameters of each mixture were also determined. According to experimental study, adding 1% of astragalus content is convenient for sandy soil when considered strength parameters and economical respect of additive material.

Index Terms—Natural resin, soil improvement, strength parameters, toxic materials.

The authors are with the Civil Engineering Department, Engineering Faculty, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey (e-mail: aksoy.suha@gmail.com; mesutgor@gmail.com).

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Cite:H. Suha Aksoy and Mesut Gor, "Effect of Natural Resin on Strength Parameters of Sandy Soil," International Journal of Environmental Science and Development vol. 4, no. 1, pp. 11-14, 2013.