The appliance of prefabricated soil-cement slabs processed with a hydrophobizing material for the road construction

The paper presents a complex method for increasing water resistance and reducing crack formation by using a prefabricated foundation of soil-cement slabs with surface processing with a hydrophobizing material on basis of organosilicon compounds. Theoretical, laboratory and full-scale experimental studies were made. Theoretical studies are based on the substantiation of the geometric parameters of the slab in order to exclude the probability of its destruction under its own weight during building and installation works. The result of the first stage of laboratory studies is the determination of the optimum composition of soil-cement mixture in order to achieve a grade of strength M20. At the second stage, the effectiveness of the influence of hydrophobizing materials "Tiprom U" and "Penetron-Admix" on water absorption and compressive strength of soil-cement was determined. The fmal stage of the research was a full-scale experiment. In the factory environment, soil-cement slabs were manufactured in metal forms. Based on the results of the research, conclusions about the effectiveness of this complex method were made. The use of soil-cement slabs allows reducing crack formation, as well as to work all year round due to manufacturing and surface treatment of slabs in the factory conditions.