COMPACTION AND STRENGTH CHARACTERISTICS OF CEMENT STABILIZED LATERITIC SOIL ADMIXED WITH CRUMBED ELECTRONIC WASTE FOR ROAD CONSTRUCTION

Abstract

Road pavement is built on lateritic soil as foundation or subgrade course of the road but it’s often characterizes with low strength, and poor durability. Cement and lime have been found to be effective as conventional stabilizers for lateritic soil; however,their productions have been attributed to the high carbon emissions. At the same time,the mismanagement and unsafe recycling of electronic waste pose a major environmental threat in Nigeria, even though the sector holds considerable economic value. This study therefore assesses the stabilizing effect of crumbed e-waste and cement on lateritic soil to create a sustainable, high-performance road pavement material. Laboratory tests were conducted on soil samples treated with varying e-waste (0–9%) and cement (0–15%) contents. The soil was characterized for particle size, Atterberg limits, and compaction, while stabilized samples were tested for CBR.The natural soil was clayey with moderate plasticity, and poor bearing capacity (CBR< 5%). The presence of e-waste content (6%) enhanced interparticle friction and stiffness while cement improved the bonding properties within the matrix of mixture of lateritic soil and e-waste thereby enhancing its strength. The required strength performance of the mixture was achieved with 10% cement and 6% e-waste for sustainable approach to lateritic soil stabilization.