Experimental Investigation of Epoxy Resin and Sand Mixes

The use of new materials for soil strengthening is crucial for geotechnical engineering, especially in foundation construction. Our main objective was to investigate the potential use of two-component water soluble epoxy resins to improve the physical and mechanical properties of medium sand, because the efficacy of these resins on soil strengthening has not yet been properly investigated. Experiments were conducted using resins with different epoxy resin-to-water (ER/W) ratios. The results indicate that the epoxy resins improve the physical and mechanical properties of sand significantly, and if successfully grouted into a formation, the resins could provide a suitable solution for the stabilization of foundation material. Based on the experimental results, a nonlinear regression analysis was performed to correlate the mechanical properties and permeability with curing time and ER/W ratio. DOI:10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0000648. (C) 2012 American Society of Civil Engineers.