Synergistic stabilization of cement-treated base layers with bio-enzymes in cold-in-place recycling applications
摘要
The incorporation of bio-enzymes into pavement stabilization has emerged as a sustainable alternative to conventional chemical stabilizers, offering improved strength and durability. This study investigates the effect of Cement, Terrazyme, a commercially available bio-enzyme, and their combination on different Soil-Aggregate Mixes (SAMs). The SAMs were collected from other parts of India across 40 road sections and sub-grouped into five different SAMs based on their Plasticity Index (PI) value. Laboratory investigations were conducted on SAMs stabilized with an optimum cement dosage, both with and without bio-enzyme, to evaluate their strength and durability characteristics. Tests, including Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS), flexural strength, and Resilient Modulus (MR), were conducted to determine the mechanical behavior. Durability characteristics were evaluated using wetting–drying cycles. The microstructural analysis of treated Mixes was also done using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The results indicated that bio-enzyme inclusion enhanced early-age strength gain, improved flexural performance, and improved moisture resistance compared to conventional cement-treated mixes. Enzymatically treated mixes show improvements in MDD, a reduction in OMC by 7.30–9.11%, an increase in UCS value from 7 to 28 days of 29.25–71.09%, a decrease in durability mass loss percentage by 4.41–8.08%, an improvement in residual UCS, and significant improvements in MR values. The subject of this study is a modern and important one, as it involves the use of bio-enzymes as a sustainable alternative to cement in soil stabilization, a field of great importance in road engineering and sustainability.