The erosion resistance of clay soil treated with recycled concrete aggregates

Soil erosion is a detrimental consequence of water flow that poses serious threats to the functionality/stability of earthen structures, dykes, river banks, canals, etc. Soil treatment/stabilization with additives remains a conventional and feasible technique to enhance soil erosion resistance. This study investigates the application of recycled concrete aggregates (RCA)- as a sustainable and environmentally-friendly additive- to lower the erosion propensity of clay soil. Jet Erosion Tests (JETs) were performed on treated soils comprising clay stabilized with 3 %, 5 %, 10 % and 15 % recycled concrete aggregates, and erosion parameters; namely, critical shear stress (ic) and erodibility/detachment coefficient (kd) were measured. Laboratory findings elaborated that the increase in the RCA content and curing time of clay-RCA mixture significantly improved the erosion resistance as compared to the clay. The clay treated with 15 % RCA (after 28 days curing) demonstrated a 45 fold increase in ic and 92 % decrease in kd, to the extent that the 'erodible' clay converted into the erosion 'resistant' clay-RCA blend. Concerning the practical implications, clay treatment with recycled concrete aggregates lowers the likelihood of concentrated leak erosion initiation and decelerates the progression of piping.