Geotechnical Engineering Journal of the SEAGS & AGSSEA ISSN 0046-5828
Vol. 55 No. 3 September 2024
Analysis and Optimisation of Influencing Factors on the Performance of Cement Stabilised Marine Clay Using Response Surface Methodology
Rejin Raj P., Vandana Sreedharan, and Abdul Nazar K. P.
ABSTRACT: Cement stabilization is a go-to technique for improving the engineering characteristics of marine clays. As per the previous studies, numerous factors influence the effectiveness of cement stabilization. It is well established that the cement content, molding water, and curing periods are the major controlling factors. Due to the complex dynamics among such factors, there is a critical need to understand the interplay between these factors to achieve optimal performance in cement stabilization of marine clays. The paper adopts an analytical approach to quantify the impact of controlling factors using unconfined compressive strength (UCS) data. Design Expert 13 was employed for the experimental design and the response surface study. A central composite design (CCD) was adopted for the analysis, and the ranges of factors were fixed in accordance with the previous studies and the respective optimum moisture conditions. The ranges of cement content (CC), molding water content (MWC), and curing days (CD) were fixed as 5 to 15%,15 to 21%, and 0 to 14 days, respectively. The statistical analysis using ANOVA was used to arrive at a statistically significant quadratic model. A quadratic equation was generated depicting each factor’s individual and interactive influence on the unconfined compressive strength of the cement-stabilized marine clay. The optimization results showed a maximum unconfined compressive strength value of 487.49 kPa for a cement content of 15%, curing days-14 days, and a molding water content of 19.67%. The study aids in understanding the extent of influence of binder content, molding, and curing conditions on the performance of cement-stabilized marine clay.
KEYWORDS: Response Surface Methodology, Cement Stabilization, Marine Clay, Marine Geotechnics, Soil Stabilization, and Clays.
