Effects of Nano Materials in Geotechnical Properties of Soils

Effects of Nano Materials in Geotechnical Properties of Soils

Improving the geotechnical properties of soil with nano materials is a new method for stabilizing the unstable clay soils. There is various type of industrial nano materials which are known as soil-additives in geotechnical proposes. Nano materials are different in micro structure, crystal shape and chemical capability, causing variation in performance of the soils to be stabilized. The geotechnical tests carried on samples treated by nano particles indicate that multi wall carbon nano tubes (MWCNTs) and carbon nano fibers (CNFs) are essential additives for improving the physical properties of unstable soils including Atterberg limits, optimum moisture content and maximum dry density. Small amount of nanosilica and nanokaolinite particles increased the maximum dry density and UCS results but a reverse trending in optimum moisture content is observed in which nano silica treated the soil towards the higher water contents. In contrast, nanokaolinite showed higher positive influence on the stiffness of treated specimens using a significant amount of lower water absorption. Major difference between the performance of all the studied nano particles includes that nano montmorillonite reduced the dry density of soil as the ꞷ% increased.