| The purpose of this experiment was to determine whether coal fly ash exhibited the ability to reinforce clay soils as an admixture, and what percentage of coal fly ash displayed the optimum results. The type-C fly ash was obtained from the Clean Earth Bio-recycle plant in Pennsylvania.; A testing program was established to determine whether the type-C fly ash increased the bearing capacity, internal friction angle, and shear stress of the clay soil. Optimum moisture content was determined using ASTM Designation: D 2216–98, Standard test method for laboratory determination of water (moisture) content of soil by mass, and ASTM Designation: D 698–91, Standard test method for laboratory compaction characteristics of soil using standard effort (12,400 ft-lbf/ft3), California bearing ratio using ASTM Designation: D 1883–99, Standard test method for CBR (California Bearing Ratio) of laboratory-compacted soils, and Direct shear using ASTM Designation: D 3080–98, Standard test method for Direct Shear test of soils under consolidated drained conditions. Six different coal fly ash percentages were used to determine the optimum percentage.; The testing program determined that a 62.5% coal fly ash mixture obtained the maximum bearing capacity, and a 54% coal fly ash mixture obtained the maximum internal angle of friction. |
