Cement by-pass dust or cement kiln dust (CKD) is one of the most plentiful and versatile of the industrial by-products, which contributes to environmental pollution. This calls for establishing strategies to use the same effectively and efficiently. This study presents a series of laboratory tests for investigation the adequacy of CKD on silty sand soil. The Index properties of silty sand soil like liquid limit, plastic limit with and without CKD have been compared. Along with these Atterberg limits, grain size distribution, direct shear, compaction and consolidation tests have also determined. Increasing percentages (by weight of dry soil) of CKD, ranging from 5% through 50% in 5% increments were added and the geotechnical properties assessed. It was observed, for all the soils that increasing cement dust contents brought about increasing improvements. The above experimental results were compared among them to obtain a percentage concentration of cement dust with lower value of compressibility and higher strength. The results of silty sand soils treated with cement dust showed that the strain decrease from 9% to 4% which indicated that the cement dust played an important role in reducing compressibility of the silty sand. The proposed materials can be used according to geotechnical criteria, as suitable materials for subgrade and base course construction, leading to safe and economical disposal of these materials that otherwise would be disposed as wastes.

Full text: IJEIR_2477_FINAL.pdf