Role of Moulding Water Content on the Strength Properties of Red Earth treated with Mine tailings

Abstract

The role of moulding water content from the dry of optimum to wet of optimum condition, in the strengt properties of Red earth (RE) in presence of mine tailings (MT) was investigated and presented in this paper. During compaction the structure of clay particles can change from flocculated to dispersed states when water content increased from dry of optimum to wet of optimum conditions. Water content plays an important role in soil-mine tailings mixtures and it increases from dry of optimum to wet of optimum conditions due to formation of pozzolanic compounds. In the present investigation an attempt has been made to improve the strength of red earth treated with mine tailings and to examine the possibility of using mine tailings as stabilizing agent for ground improvement at different moulding water content for various curing periods. The test results clearly lndicate that the strength ratio of red earth treated with mine tailings is higher on wet of optimum condition than optimum and dry of optimum conditions at different moulding water content for various curing period. The strength ratio increased by 2.5, 1.75and 3.56 folds respectively for dry of optimum, optimum and wet of optimum conditions respectively. However, the strength ratio is increased by 3.56 folds on wet of optimum condition which is advantages for constructions.