Effect of polyacrylate polymer on the mechanical and water retention properties of cemented soil: A multiscale investigation

Granitic residual soils (GRS) occupy substantial deposits in many regions but exhibit deficiencies restricting direct engineering applications. This study investigated polyacrylate (PA) polymer treatment to enhance the mechanical and hydrological properties of GRS. Triaxial tests evaluated the effec...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lei Wang, Yongsheng Yao, Jue Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:Case Studies in Construction Materials
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214509524012270
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1846140715688525824
author Lei Wang
Yongsheng Yao
Jue Li
author_facet Lei Wang
Yongsheng Yao
Jue Li
author_sort Lei Wang
collection DOAJ
description Granitic residual soils (GRS) occupy substantial deposits in many regions but exhibit deficiencies restricting direct engineering applications. This study investigated polyacrylate (PA) polymer treatment to enhance the mechanical and hydrological properties of GRS. Triaxial tests evaluated the effects of PA content (0–3 %) on shear strength parameters under varied confining pressures. Soil-water retention characteristics were determined using pressure plate and filter paper methods. Microstructural analyses via scanning electron microscopy and pore attribute quantification furnished insights. Results showed PA increased peak deviator stress and cohesion in a content-sensitive manner up to an optimum 2 % dosage. A modified Duncan-Chang model accurately described the nonlinear stress-strain behavior. PA amplified water retention across the entire suction domain by elevating the air entry value attributed to microstructural changes. Morphological analyses indicated PA formed binding membranes consolidating particles with redistributed pore attributes towards stabler, load-resisting configurations. Quantitative links validated hypothesized mechanisms whereby optimized pore architectures directly translated bulk fabric cohesion and friction enhancement. Multi-scale evidence synthesized a self-consistent microscopic mechanism of PA-mediated pore network reconstitution systematically strengthening the granular framework. This study demonstrated polyacrylate modification optimizes key engineering properties of naturally deficient GRS, offering design guidance for sustainable geotechnical applications exploiting abundant residual soil resources.
format Article
id doaj-art-a375d973184542d4bb18216e5bf749b3
institution Kabale University
issn 2214-5095
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Case Studies in Construction Materials
spelling doaj-art-a375d973184542d4bb18216e5bf749b32024-12-05T05:20:34ZengElsevierCase Studies in Construction Materials2214-50952024-12-0121e04075Effect of polyacrylate polymer on the mechanical and water retention properties of cemented soil: A multiscale investigationLei Wang0Yongsheng Yao1Jue Li2College of Traffic & Transportation, Chongqing Jiaotong University, Chongqing 400074, ChinaCorresponding author.; College of Traffic & Transportation, Chongqing Jiaotong University, Chongqing 400074, ChinaCollege of Traffic & Transportation, Chongqing Jiaotong University, Chongqing 400074, ChinaGranitic residual soils (GRS) occupy substantial deposits in many regions but exhibit deficiencies restricting direct engineering applications. This study investigated polyacrylate (PA) polymer treatment to enhance the mechanical and hydrological properties of GRS. Triaxial tests evaluated the effects of PA content (0–3 %) on shear strength parameters under varied confining pressures. Soil-water retention characteristics were determined using pressure plate and filter paper methods. Microstructural analyses via scanning electron microscopy and pore attribute quantification furnished insights. Results showed PA increased peak deviator stress and cohesion in a content-sensitive manner up to an optimum 2 % dosage. A modified Duncan-Chang model accurately described the nonlinear stress-strain behavior. PA amplified water retention across the entire suction domain by elevating the air entry value attributed to microstructural changes. Morphological analyses indicated PA formed binding membranes consolidating particles with redistributed pore attributes towards stabler, load-resisting configurations. Quantitative links validated hypothesized mechanisms whereby optimized pore architectures directly translated bulk fabric cohesion and friction enhancement. Multi-scale evidence synthesized a self-consistent microscopic mechanism of PA-mediated pore network reconstitution systematically strengthening the granular framework. This study demonstrated polyacrylate modification optimizes key engineering properties of naturally deficient GRS, offering design guidance for sustainable geotechnical applications exploiting abundant residual soil resources.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214509524012270Granite residual soilPolyacrylate polymerShear strengthSoil water retention curveImprovement mechanism
spellingShingle Lei Wang
Yongsheng Yao
Jue Li
Effect of polyacrylate polymer on the mechanical and water retention properties of cemented soil: A multiscale investigation
Case Studies in Construction Materials
Granite residual soil
Polyacrylate polymer
Shear strength
Soil water retention curve
Improvement mechanism
title Effect of polyacrylate polymer on the mechanical and water retention properties of cemented soil: A multiscale investigation
title_full Effect of polyacrylate polymer on the mechanical and water retention properties of cemented soil: A multiscale investigation
title_fullStr Effect of polyacrylate polymer on the mechanical and water retention properties of cemented soil: A multiscale investigation
title_full_unstemmed Effect of polyacrylate polymer on the mechanical and water retention properties of cemented soil: A multiscale investigation
title_short Effect of polyacrylate polymer on the mechanical and water retention properties of cemented soil: A multiscale investigation
title_sort effect of polyacrylate polymer on the mechanical and water retention properties of cemented soil a multiscale investigation
topic Granite residual soil
Polyacrylate polymer
Shear strength
Soil water retention curve
Improvement mechanism
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214509524012270
work_keys_str_mv AT leiwang effectofpolyacrylatepolymeronthemechanicalandwaterretentionpropertiesofcementedsoilamultiscaleinvestigation
AT yongshengyao effectofpolyacrylatepolymeronthemechanicalandwaterretentionpropertiesofcementedsoilamultiscaleinvestigation
AT jueli effectofpolyacrylatepolymeronthemechanicalandwaterretentionpropertiesofcementedsoilamultiscaleinvestigation