Open Access
ARTICLE
Improved Geotechnical Behavior of an Expansive Soil Amended with Cationic Polyacrylamide
Shengquan Zhou1, Minjie Shi1,*, Wei Chen1, Yongfei Zhang1, Weijian Wang1, Haojin Zhang1, Dongwei Li2
1 School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, 232001, China
2 School of Civil and Architectural Engineering, East China University of Technology, Nanchang, 330013, China
* Corresponding Author: Minjie Shi. Email:
Journal of Renewable Materials 2021, 9(11), 1941-1957. https://doi.org/10.32604/jrm.2021.015693
Received 06 January 2021; Accepted 01 April 2021; Issue published 04 June 2021
Abstract
The characteristics of soil treated with cationic polyacrylamide (CPAM) mass content of 0%, 0.2%, 0.4%, 0.6%,
0.8%, and 1% were investigated through a series of laboratory tests to explore the practical engineering effect
of an expansive soil amended with environmental protection material CPAM. The results indicate that with
the increasing CPAM content, the liquid limit and plasticity index of soil decrease, the plastic limit increases,
and the free swelling ratio and loaded swelling ratio decrease. Besides, the improved soil has less disintegrating
property and better water stability. The shear strength increases as the content increases, and the optimal content
is 0.6%. Meanwhile, the cohesion of the soil first increases and then decreases, and the internal friction angle
increases. Additionally, the unconfined compressive strength first increases and then decreases. The improved soil
presents the characteristics of brittle failure and reaches the peak value (410.1 kPa) at the content of 0.8% after
curing for 14 days. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) exhibits that the number of curved and wrinkled sections
of the expansive soil is reduced after CPAM improvement. Simultaneously, the arrangement of the superimposed
polymer changes from face-face to side-angle or side-face-angle, and the reticular structure formed improves the
strength and spatial stability of the soil. Therefore, adding appropriate cationic polyacrylamide could improve
expansive soil in engineering.
Graphical Abstract
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Cite This Article
APA Style
Zhou, S., Shi, M., Chen, W., Zhang, Y., Wang, W. et al. (2021). Improved geotechnical behavior of an expansive soil amended with cationic polyacrylamide. Journal of Renewable Materials, 9(11), 1941-1957. https://doi.org/10.32604/jrm.2021.015693
Vancouver Style
Zhou S, Shi M, Chen W, Zhang Y, Wang W, Zhang H, et al. Improved geotechnical behavior of an expansive soil amended with cationic polyacrylamide. J Renew Mater. 2021;9(11):1941-1957 https://doi.org/10.32604/jrm.2021.015693
IEEE Style
S. Zhou et al., "Improved Geotechnical Behavior of an Expansive Soil Amended with Cationic Polyacrylamide," J. Renew. Mater., vol. 9, no. 11, pp. 1941-1957. 2021. https://doi.org/10.32604/jrm.2021.015693