Index Properties and Compaction Characteristics of Vermi-Remediated Crude Oil-Contaminated Lateritic Soil Stabilized with Locust Bean Waste Ash

John E. Sani, M. S. Dalhat, G. Moses, Z. I. Ummisawa

Abstract


This study characterizes the index properties and compaction characteristics of vermi-remediated crude oil-contaminated lateritic soil (VRCOCS) stabilized with varying percentages (0, 4, 8, 12 and 16%) of locust bean waste ash (LBWA), with a view to assessing its suitability as landfill liner and cover material. Vermi-remediation reduced the total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) content of the crude oil-contaminated soil from an average of 4500 mg/kg to 3300 mg/kg, representing a 27% removal efficiency, prior to stabilization. The untreated vermi-remediated soil was classified as A-7-5 according to AASHTO and CL (lean clay) according to the Unified Soil Classification System, with 72.42% of particles passing the BS No. 200 sieve. Specific gravity increased from 2.0 for the untreated soil to a peak of 2.4 at 4% LBWA before fluctuating between 2.2 and 2.3 at higher ash contents. Particle size distribution improved markedly with LBWA addition, as the percentage of fines passing the No. 200 sieve fell sharply from 35.5% (untreated) to between 2.5% and 5.8% for the stabilized mixtures, reflecting flocculation and agglomeration of clay particles induced by pozzolanic reaction. The liquid limit varied only slightly with LBWA content (52.3%–57.0%), while the plastic limit rose from 32.3% to a maximum of 35.1% at 4% LBWA before declining to about 30.5–30.7% at 12–16% LBWA. The plasticity index reached a minimum of 18.5% at 8% LBWA, indicating the greatest improvement in workability and volume-change potential at this stabilization level. Compaction results showed that the maximum dry density (MDD) increased with increasing compactive effort and peaked at 1.89 Mg/m³ at 4% LBWA under British Standard Heavy (BSH) energy, before decreasing at higher ash contents owing to the lower specific gravity of excess unreacted ash. The optimum moisture content (OMC) exhibited only minor variation with LBWA content, generally decreasing with increasing compactive effort and rising slightly at 16% LBWA due to the greater water demand of the additional ash. Overall, the results indicate that 4–8% LBWA produces the most favourable combination of reduced plasticity, improved gradation and enhanced compaction response, supporting its use as a sustainable, low-cost stabilizer for vermi-remediated lateritic soils intended for landfill liner and cover applications.


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