Evaluation of strength characteristics of cement-stabilized soil using the electrical resistivity measurement

In this study, the compressive strength of cement stabilized soil was predicted using the electrical resistivity measurement. The effects of the water to cement (w/c) ratio and recovered Carbon Black (rCB) contents were examined. A series of electrical resistivity and compressive strength tests were conducted on two types of stabilized soil after 28 days of curing. Multiple nonlinear regression (MNLR) analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between the compressive strength and the electrical resistivity in terms of the rCB, Cu (uniformity coefficient), and w/c ratio. The results showed that the w/c ratio and Cu have a strong influence on the compressive strength and electrical resistivity of the cement stabilized soil compared to the rCB content. The use of a small amount of rCB led to a decrease in the void space in the specimen and was attributed to the increase strength and decrease electrical resistivity. A high w/c ratio also induced a low electrical resistivity and compressive strength, whereas 3% rCB in the cemented soil provided the optimum strength for all w/c ratios. Finally, a prediction equation for the compressive strength using the electrical resistivity measurement was suggested based on its reliability, time effectiveness, non-destructiveness, and cost-effectiveness.