Investigation of drying−wetting durability of cement-stabilised clayey soil

Few studies have reported the effect of cement content and surcharge pressure on the drying−wetting durability of cement-stabilised clayey soil. The aim of this research was thus to understand the effect of these two factors on the drying−wetting durability of cement-stabilised clayey soil. Clayey soil, dredged from Taihu Lake in Wuxi, China, was stabilised with three different cement contents. Drying−wetting tests were performed on the cement-stabilised clayey soil under five different surcharge pressures and direct shear tests were conducted using a modified conventional direct shear device. The cement content was found to have a significant effect on the drying−wetting durability of the cement-stabilised clayey soil. Drying−wetting appears to decrease the shear strength of clayey soil with a low cement content, whereas drying−wetting appears to increase the shear strength of clayey soil with a high cement content. The variation in shear strength of the cement-stabilised clayey soil is attributed to drying-induced bond damage and drying-temperature-induced hydration and pozzolanic reactions. The surcharge pressure had a significant impact on the drying−wetting durability in a certain range. The findings are interesting from a practical perspective for earthworks involving cement-stabilised clayey soils.