Experimental Investigation of Cement Type Effect on Hydration and Strength Development of Cement-Treated Soils

Cement treatment is a popular method to enhance properties of soft soil such as mechanical properties, durability, and physical properties. Compressive strength is known as one of the most important indicators governing the quality of improvement of cement-treated soil. The type of soil and cement greatly affected the compressive strength of cement-stabilized soils. Thus, this paper aims to examine the effects of cement type on hydration and strength development of cement-treated soils. In the experiments, Kasama clay, collected in Kanto loam, and two types of cement, including OPC and HPC, were used to produce the mixtures. The specimens were prepared with optimum water content using cement/soil= 30% and cured under 20, and 30 or 35 degrees C. The experimental results showed that the temperature generated by hydration of cement-treated soil using HPC was higher and reached the highest peak earlier than that of specimens using OPC. Besides, the strength value of HPC specimens was much higher than that of specimens using OPC at an early and later age. These results suggest that HPC can be used for cement-treated soils as a potential binder to promote the development of compressive strength.