Abstract:
This paper presents the overall geotechnical properties of cement-treated Champlain Sea clay. Champlain Sea clay, also well known as Leda clay, is commonly found along the St. Lawrence River in Southern Quebec and Southern Ontario in eastern Canada. Its most distinctive feature is its high sensitivity. Its initial undrained shear strength can vary approximately from 7 to 140 kPa with its sensitivity ranging from 10 to 100. When disturbed, it can turn into a viscous liquid. Due to its peculiar properties, Champlain Sea clay are commonly subject to flow-type landslides. This type of slides has resulted in wasteful and costly damages to properties and sometimes in loss of lives. Additional engineering challenges include the excess long-term settlement of structures on Champlain Sea clay. Ground improvement is normally required for construction in soft marine clays, like Champlain Sea clay. In this study, the application of cement to stabilize Champlain Sea clay was investigated through a thorough laboratory testing program. The geotechnical properties were investigated on different aspects of cement-treated Champlain Sea clay, including shear strength, compressibility, tensile strength, and microstructural change. Based on the study, it is found that cement is efficient in stabilizing sensitive Champlain Sea clay, which provides another viable technique to facilitate the infrastructure development in the region. Keywords: Ground improvement, soil mixing, marine clay, geotechnical property