Potentials of Sugar Cane Straw Ash for Lateritic Soil Stabilization in Road Construction

Abstract

ABSTRACT

     This paper investigated the suitability and sugar cane straw ash stabilization requirement of some lateritic soil samples as road construction materials. Three samples A, B and C collected from three different locations in Akure  and stabilized with 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10% of the sugar cane straw ash were subjected to tests such as natural moisture content, specific gravity, linear shrinkage, atterberg limit, shrinkage limit, compaction, California bearing ratio and unconfined compressive strength. The result of the preliminary tests with the sugar cane ash stabilizer indicates soils in the study area are poor for road construction. The suitability of the soil samples A, B and C was improved by the addition of sugar cane straw ash. The optimum percentage by weight of soil of the sugar cane straw ash for the improvement of  the geotechnical properties of the lateritic soil is 4%.   The soil samples A, B and C can be use as sub grade materials in road construction when there is optimum stabilization with sugar cane straw ash.