GEOPOLYMERIZATION METHOD FOR SOIL STABILIZATION APPLICATION

• US 20150016895A1
• Filed: 07/09/2014
• Published: 01/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Perlis
• Original Assignee: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Perlis
• Inventors: ABDULLAH, MOHD MUSTAFA AL BAKRI, TAHIR, MUHAMMAD FAHEEM MOHD, HUSSIN, KAMARUDIN, ZUBER, SHARIFAH ZALIHA SYED, ABDULLAH, ALIDA, AHMAD, MUHD IZZAT, GHAZALI, CHE MOHD RUZAIDI, AHMAD, FAUZIAH, BINHUSSAIN, MOHAMMED
• Granted Patent: US 9,447,555 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 405/263
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 3/00 Improving or preserving soil or rock, e.g. preserving permafrost soil securing of slopes or inclines E02D17/20; damming or interrupting passage of underground water E02D19/12; improving soil for agricultural purposes A01; soil stabilisation for road building or like purposes E01C21/00, E01C23/10; setting rock anchoring bolts E21D

Abstract

A method of soil stabilization includes mixing a geopolymer material with an alkaline activator and adding 5 to 30 percent by weight of the mixture to a soil.

Claims

1. A method of soil stabilization comprising the steps of:

mixing a geopolymer material with an alkaline activator in a desired ratio; and

adding 5 to 30 wt % of the mixture to the soil.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the geopolymer material is fly ash, kaolin, metakaolin, palm ash, volcanic ash or any combination thereof.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of geopolymer material to alkaline activator is in a range from 0.5:

1 to 1;

3 by weight.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the alkaline activator is a mixture comprising sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide are in a ratio from 0.5:

1 to 1;

3 by weight.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the alkaline activator is a mixture comprising sodium silicate and either potassium hydroxide or calcium hydroxide.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein the sodium hydroxide has a concentration in a range of 6 M to 16 M.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the soil is soft soil.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the soft soil is clay soil, peat soil, organic soil or any combination thereof.

10. A method for stabilizing a soil, comprising:

making an alkaline activator, including;

making an aqueous solution of a metal hydroxide at a concentration within a range from approximately 6 molar to approximately 16 molar;

mixing sodium silicate with the solution of the metal hydroxide in a ratio, the ratio within a range from approximately 1;

2 to approximately 1;

3;

mixing a geopolymer material with the alkaline activator in a ratio within a range from approximately 1;

2 to approximately 1;

3 by weight to make a stabilization mixture; and

adding 5-30 percent by weight of the stabilization mixture to the soil.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the geopolymer material is fly an ash, a kaolin, a metakaolin, a palm ash, a volcanic ash or a combination thereof.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the metal hydroxide is selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, and calcium hydroxide.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the soil is soft soil.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the soft soil is a clay soil, a peat soil, an organic soil or a combination thereof.