ABSTRACT

Admixtures in technical sense refer to any material or substance (biological or chemical) which can influence the characteristic (already) properties of another substance to which it has been added. In engineering, common admixtures usually exist in either liquid or solid form. They often added to engineering materials in order to influence their properties. A typical example of such is the Potassium Hydroxide (KOH). This is an alkaline base which is often used to influence the behaviour of soil and some other engineering materials in order to achieve more desirable properties. In this study, it will be used on clay soil.

The method of the study will involve adding a certain concentration on the clay soil and some laboratory tests being carried out on it to ascertain its effects on the natural soil as compared to the same properties obtained for the natural clay soil. The tests to be carried out in this study include: the particle distribution (sieve analysis) test, the specific gravity test, the Atterberg's Limit tests, the Compaction tests and the California Bearing Ratio test. The admixture will be mixed with the soil and the result obtained from each will be compared with that obtained from the same test for controlled soil sample.

 The Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) which is the admixture is expected to influence some of the geotechnical properties to be tested for. The rate of influence it will have on the soil will however depend on the concentration. For instance, the Bearing Capacity, the Optimum Moisture Content, the Maximum Dry Density of the soil and the Atterberg's limits are all expected to increase as the concentration of the admixture increases.