Prevention of dry shrinkage cracks in ready-mixed soil materials

The cementation of mudstone and gypsum in the natural Yadan topology is modeled for the prevention of development of dry shrinkage cracks in ready-mixed soil material (RMSM); addition of gypsum to clayey soils to act as a coating that modifies the base soil is proposed. Cement is mixed with this modified clayey soil to form RMSM, which is resistant to the development of drying shrinkage cracks. Results of the study showed changes in the water content between liquid limit and shrinkage limit is very small for this modified clayey soil. Respectively, its volumetric change from liquid to solid state is also substantially small, hence shrinkage cracks are less likely to develop. Tests for dry shrinkage were conducted on the RMSM to a period of I year, and no development of crack has been observed.