Effect of Marble Dust On Index Properties of Black Cotton Soil

Abstract

This paper represents the results of a laboratory study undertaken to investigate the effect of marble dust powder on the index properties of black-cotton soil. The black-cotton soil features a poor supporting capacity and enormous change in volume on variations of moisture content. Such expansive soils may need to be improved to make them suitable for construction activities. The objective of study is to gauge the feasibility of commercial waste like marble dust as soil stabilization material. To investigate the effect of marble dust on index properties of black-cotton soil a series of laboratory experiments are conducted on black-cotton soil samples mixed with 0% to 10% of marble dust by weight of dry soil. The test results showed a big change in consistency limits of samples containing marble dust. The liquid limit would decrease from 67.49% to 52.01%. The plasticity index decreased from 37.16% to 10.43%. Also the differential free swell decreased from 60% to 14%, showing appreciable decrease in swelling behaviour. From this laboratory investigation it's concluded that the waste like marble dust generated from stone industries features a potential to switch the characteristics of expansive clay like black-cotton soil. There is significant improvement within the index properties of the black-cotton soil on addition of marble dust into it. The expansive behaviour of the clay has reduced to an excellent extent.