Treatment of a collapsible soil using a bentonite–cement mixture

The study of collapsible soils that are generally encountered in arid and semi-arid regions remains a major issue for geotechnical engineers. This experimental study, carried out on soils reconstituted in the laboratory, aims firstly to present a method of reducing the collapse potential to an acceptable level by treating them with different levels of bentonite–cement mixture while maintaining the water content and degree of compactness, thus reducing eventual risks for the structures implanted on these soils. Furthermore, a microscopic study using scanning electron microscopy was carried out to explore the microstructure of the soil in order to have an idea of the phenomena before and after treatment. The results show that treatment with a bentonite–cement mixture improves the geotechnical and mechanical characteristics, modifies the chemical composition of the soil, reduces the collapse potential and the consistency limits. The microstructural study and the X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis clearly illustrate an association of elementary particles in the soil aggregates, whereby the arrangement of these aggregates leads to the formation of a dense and stable material.