Studying the effect of polymeric materials in improving the potential of forest roads soil volume change

Undesirable mechanical properties of soil such as swelling that causes many problems to forest roads often observe in soils with high clay content. Soil volumetric changes that are the result of changes in soil moisture content causes high damages to forest roads. This shows the importance of investigation about applying techniques to improve the swelling properties of these soils. Therefore, in this study, the effect of an ionic stabilization material (CBRPLUS) on controlling the swelling behavior of soil as the forest road material was investigated. Swelling and swelling pressure tests were performed on natural soil samples (control samples) and samples that treated with company proposed percentage (0/0096%).
In order to test swelling potential and swelling pressures, samples were prepared with optimum moisture determined by compaction test and were compressed by static compaction method and then moved to consolidate apparatus.
The swelling potential for control and treated samples with company proposed percentage (0/0096%) were 17.5% and 16.5% respectively, which shows 5.71% reduction in swelling potential. Also, the swelling pressure for control and treated samples with company proposed percentage (0/0096%) were 570 and 510 kPa respectively, which shows 10.52% reduction in swelling potential by adding the ion stabilizer.
Therefore, adding the proposed dose of this substance could reduce swelling and swelling pressures of soil. But, that the amount of swelling and swelling pressure reduction was not as high as claimed by producing company. Therefore, this matter with proposed dose has no significant effect on improvement of soil swelling properties.