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<p>Water repellent treatment, the application of organosilane compounds to alter soil surface chemistry and reduce liquid water infiltration, has gained traction as a cost-effective approach to moisture control in transportation geotechnics. However, its effect on vapor-phase moisture adsorption (hygroscopy) remains poorly understood, representing a critical gap since treated subgrades in humid environments may still accumulate moisture through atmospheric exchange. This study addresses that gap by investigating the hygroscopic behavior of fine-grained soils treated with organosilane under controlled humidity conditions. Four soil types sourced from different United States climatic regions were subjected to treatments at varying dosage ratios, drying protocols, and particle size fractions. Hygroscopic moisture content was measured gravimetrically at 100% relative humidity, while water repellency was quantified using sessile-drop contact angle measurement and the water drop penetration time test. Results show that water repellent treatments significantly reduce hygroscopic moisture content, with reductions up to 65% at high dosages. Contact angles increased from 18.35° to 141.2°, and water drop penetration times rose from less than one second to more than 3600&#xa0;s. Despite this, all treated soils remained hygroscopic under saturated vapor conditions, particularly those with higher clay or organic content. A practical mathematical framework relating contact angle to hygroscopic moisture content is developed and calibrated for pavement design applications, enabling integration into mechanistic-empirical frameworks. These findings highlight the need to integrate hygroscopic moisture monitoring into design protocols for more resilient infrastructure.</p>

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Effect of Water Repellent Treatment on Hygroscopic Behavior of Fine-Grained Subgrade Soils

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月31日

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  • Michael Uduebor,
  • John Daniels,
  • Vincent Ogunro,
  • Yunesh Saulick

摘要

Water repellent treatment, the application of organosilane compounds to alter soil surface chemistry and reduce liquid water infiltration, has gained traction as a cost-effective approach to moisture control in transportation geotechnics. However, its effect on vapor-phase moisture adsorption (hygroscopy) remains poorly understood, representing a critical gap since treated subgrades in humid environments may still accumulate moisture through atmospheric exchange. This study addresses that gap by investigating the hygroscopic behavior of fine-grained soils treated with organosilane under controlled humidity conditions. Four soil types sourced from different United States climatic regions were subjected to treatments at varying dosage ratios, drying protocols, and particle size fractions. Hygroscopic moisture content was measured gravimetrically at 100% relative humidity, while water repellency was quantified using sessile-drop contact angle measurement and the water drop penetration time test. Results show that water repellent treatments significantly reduce hygroscopic moisture content, with reductions up to 65% at high dosages. Contact angles increased from 18.35° to 141.2°, and water drop penetration times rose from less than one second to more than 3600 s. Despite this, all treated soils remained hygroscopic under saturated vapor conditions, particularly those with higher clay or organic content. A practical mathematical framework relating contact angle to hygroscopic moisture content is developed and calibrated for pavement design applications, enabling integration into mechanistic-empirical frameworks. These findings highlight the need to integrate hygroscopic moisture monitoring into design protocols for more resilient infrastructure.