Stabilization of Expansive Soils in Panama with Seashell Residue Mixtures

Abstract

Expansive soils are characteristic of tropical regions, presenting great volumetric changes when their water content varies. These changes usually present structural problems in the foundations caused directly by the behavior of the material on which they have been built. Cementitious materials are used to control expansion in soils such as calcium carbonate (CaCO3), that is mineral found in many parts of the planet. The exoskeletons of marine animals, waste of industrial activities such as fishing and the extraction of sea sand, that could be reused as a rich source of CaCO3. The objective of this study is to evaluate the feasibility for the stabilization of expansive soils in Panama, through controlled compaction and the addition of stabilizers such as seashell and cement, and thus determine the optimal proportion in the expansive land of the study, according to SDG 12 Responsible production and consumption. The expansive soil, the chemical composition of the soil and the seashell were characterized, and the maximum stress to be supported was determined through the unconfined compression test of the expansive soil with the additions made to determine the optimal mixture and proportion of stabilization. The 35 % cement/seashell mixture was obtained as the best results, this shows feasibility for the use of seashell waste as a cementing material for the stabilization of expansive soils in Panama.