Multiscale Investigation of Self-healing Behavior of Sand and Silty Sand Stabilized with Guar Gum and Agar Gum
摘要
This paper assesses the performance of biopolymers (agar gum and guar gum) for soil stabilization and the self-healing properties of these materials using non-destructive ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) and unconfined compressive strength (UCS) tests. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) tests were performed to investigate the microstructure of the stabilized soil during the self-healing process. The results showed that adding biopolymers to the soil significantly improved the soil’s mechanical properties and self-healing properties. The self-healing indexes of sandy soil stabilized with 1% of guar gum and agar gum were 45% and 18%, respectively, at the curing time of 14 days. Increasing the internal bonds and reducing cracking caused by hydrogel swelling are the significant advantages of using biopolymers in soil stabilization. The UPV provides a quick and accurate estimate of changes in the properties of the stabilized soil. The UPV of the samples increased after the self-healing period. The UPV of the sandy soil stabilized with 1% guar gum and agar gum increased by 17% and 13%, respectively, at the curing time of 7 days. The SEM results showed that the swelling of biopolymers led to crack repair after the self-healing period, the creation of new bonds between grains, and the increase of the contact surface of soil particles.