MPC Research Reports
Report Details

Title:	Strength and Density Modification of Unpaved Road Soils Due to Chemical Additives
Authors:	James T. Palmer, Thomas V. Edgar, and Arthur P. Boresi
University:	University of Wyoming
Publication Date:	Jan 1995
Report #:	MPC-95-39
Project #:	MPC-049
TRID #:	00715412
Keywords:	additives, applications, chemical agents, compressive strength, laboratory tests, lignosulfonate, methodology, performance, soils, soil stabilization, unpaved roads

Abstract

This paper presents results of laboratory tests conducted to determine the effects of additives on the stabilization of unpaved road surfaces. Laboratory tests can be an efficient means of determining which additive will best stabilize a given unpaved road surface, but correlation between laboratory tests and road applications is necessary. For the three soils and three chemical additives tested, lignin sulfonate produced the greatest changes in unconfined compressive strength. However, inspection of an application of lignin sulfonate to a road surface did not show the increase in stability indicated by laboratory tests. Failure of the lignin sulfonate to perform as expected is the result of the application method and the high solubility of lignin sulfonate.