COMPRESSIBLITY OF PEAT SOIL IMPROVED WITH POLYURETHANE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11113/mjce.v31.16095Keywords:
Blade camber, CFD, CP, Drag, Lift, NACA XX25, Steady wind, VAWT, Peat soil, polyurethane foam, compressibility, Oedometer test, initial void ratio, compression index, swelling indexAbstract
This research investigated the compressibility of natural peat soil and peat soil improved with polyurethane foam. High natural moisture content, high compressibility, low bearing capacity and medium to low permeability is a problem and characteristic of a peat soil. This problem can be solved by reducing the compressibility of the peat soil. The objective of this study is mainly to prove whether the presence of polyurethane foam as a lightweight material on peat soil can reduce the compressibility of peat soil or otherwise. Fifteen samples of peat soil taken from Johan Setia, Klang were tested using Oedometer test with load is doubled at each increment until it reaches the maximum required load which is 10kPa, 20kPa, 40kPa, 80kPa, 160kPa, 320kPa and 640kPa. Polyurethane foam is a lightweight material, therefore reduces the overburden pressure to the underlying soil, hence future settlement can be minimized to a tolerable settlement value. Based on the data obtained from analysis of Oedometer test, the compressibility parameters including void ratio, compression index and swelling index of the peat soil alone are very high which denoted extremely poor condition of the peat soil. The compressibility parameters improved significantly with the PU foam stabilization as PU act as a void filler for peat soil. A slight increase in the compressibility parameters are recorded with higher ratio of isocyanate. However, the maximum pre-consolidation pressure recorded was with PU ratio of 1:1. Therefore, the optimum ratio for PU peat stabilization is in the ratio of 1:1.
References
Huat, Bujang, B. K. 2004. Organic and Peat Soil Engineering. Univ. Putra Malaysia Press.
Islam, M. S. and R. Hashim. 2008. Use of Mackintoch Probe Test for Field Investigation in Peat Soil. Proc. of Int. Conf. on Highway and Geotechnical Engineering, 26th – 27th May 2008. Best Western Premier Seri Pacific Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, pp.27
Andriesse, J. P. 1988. Nature and Management of Tropical Peat Soils. FAO Soils Bulletin Sa Rome.
http://maps.google.com.my/maps?hl=en&tab=wl,access on March 30, 2012.
British Standard Institution: BS1377. 1990. Methods of Test for Soils for Civil Engineering Purposes, Part 2: Classification Tests, BSI, London.
[ British Standard Institution: BS1377. 1990. Methods of Test for Soils for Civil Engineering Purposes, Part 3: Chemical and Electrochemical Tests, BSI, London.
British Standard Institution: BS1377. 1990. Methods of Test for Soils for Civil Engineering Purposes, Part 4: Compaction-related Tests, BSI, London.
British Standard Institution: BS1377. 1990. Methods of Test for Soils for Civil Engineering Purposes, Part 5: Compressibility, Permeability and Durability Tests, BSI, London.
http://www.humboldtmfg.com/c-2-p-105-id-2.html, access on March 30, 2012.
Kazemian, S., Huat, B. K., Prasad, A. 2011. Study of Peat Media on Stabilization of Peat by Traditional Binders. Int. J. Phys. Sc. 6(3): 476-481.
