An Experimental Investigation on the Effect of Calcium Chloride As Dust Suppressant on the Strength of Unpaved Road
Authors:   Advanced Pavement Material (PAVE-MAT) Focus Group, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, 86400 Parit Raja, Batu Pahat, Johor, MALAYSIA, Al Bargi Walid Abdullah , Ali Khalifa Nasradeen ,   Smart Driving Research Centre, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Built Environment,Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, 86400 Parit Raja, Batu Pahat, Johor,MALAYSIA, Daniel Basil David ,   Smart Driving Research Centre, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Built Environment,Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, 86400 Parit Raja, Batu Pahat, Johor,MALAYSIA, Md. Rohani Munzilah ,   Smart Driving Research Centre, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Built Environment,Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, 86400 Parit Raja, Batu Pahat, Johor,MALAYSIA, Odebiyi Oluwasegun Samuel ,   Oluwasegun Samuel Odebiyi,Kampala International University, Kampala, 20000, UGANDA
Published: May 2023

The quality of the gravel used in road construction has a profound positive impact on roadservice life. The potential use of calcium chloride as a dust control agent and material for stabilizing the base of unpaved roads has been researched.However, the quality of the gravel may be impacted if calcium chloride isintroduced as a dust suppressant into it.The main aim of this researchis to examine the increase in strength of soil specimens treated with calcium chloride and to evaluate how different proportions of calcium chloride as a dust suppressant and base stabilizer affect the California Bearing Ratio value of the soil samples. Mixtures of natural gravel and gravel with varying amounts of calcium chloride were analyzed for their Atterberg limits, grading, maximum dry density, CBR properties, and optimum moisture content.The changes in the characteristics of the gravel -calcium chloride mixtures were analyzed. It was found that the particle size distribution and Atterberg limits remained largely unchanged. However, the optimum moisture content (OMC) decreased from 9.2% to 7.6%, 7.4%, and 7.2% withcalcium chlorideaddedat percentages of2 percent, 3 percent,and4 percent per volumeof dry soil, respectively.Observation of the mixture revealed an increase in the maximum dry density (MDD) as the ratios of calcium chloride were altered.The maximum dry density significantlyincreasedfrom 2.15 Mg/m3to 2.31 Mg/m3, 2.35Mg/m3, and 2.36Mg/m3, respectively. Along with this, the California Bearing Ratio (CBR) demonstrated an improvement of 25% to 29%, 32%, and 36% at 95% compaction with an increase in the ratios of calcium chloride.The increase in dry density can be explained by the improved bonding between particles and the reduction of air voids. This increase in dry density, in turn, positively influences the California Bearing Ratio by transforming soil structure from a dispersed state to a flocculated state.It can be inferred from the results that calcium chloride has the potential to function as a stabilizer for unpaved roads.The findings of this study are expected to reduced life cycle costs for unpaved roads, provide insights for the best approach to materials analysis for unpaved roads, and contribute to environmental benefits by minimizingdust emissions into the atmosphere and reducing the release of chemicals into nature.