What is a polymer? What is soil stabilizing?

What is Soil Stabilizing?

Soil stabilization
Soil stabilization is one of the prime objectives of AggreBind soil stabilizer and is used to improve on-site materials to create a solid soil stabilizing and strong sub-base and base courses. In certain regions of the world, typically developing countries and now more frequently in developed countries, soil stabilizing with AggreBind is being used to construct the entire road.

In the past, soil stabilization was done by utilizing the binding properties of clay soils, cement-based products, and/or utilizing the “rammed earth” technique and lime. As technology evolved, there have now emerged new types of soil stabilizing techniques, AggreBind is one such product and is classified as “green technology”.

Some of the ‘green technologies’ are: enzymes, surfactants, biopolymers, synthetic polymers, co-polymer based products, cross-linking copolymers, tree resins, ionic stabilizers, fiber reinforcement, calcium chloride, sodium chloride and more. Some of these new soil stabilizing techniques used in AggreBind create hydrophobic surfaces and mass that prevent prevents road failure from water penetration or heavy frosts by inhibiting the ingress of water into the treated layer.

However, recent technology has increased the number of traditional additives used for soil stabilizing purposes. Such non-traditional stabilizers include: Polymers Based Products (e.g. cross-linking water-based copolymers that significantly improves the load-bearing capacity and tensile strength of treated soils), Copolymer Based Products, fiber reinforcement, calcium chloride, and Sodium Chloride.

AggreBind Soil Stabilizing
  • Soil Stabilizing is a way of improving the weight bearing capabilities and performance of in-situ sub-soils, sands, and other waste materials.
  • The prime objective of soil stabilizing is to improve the CBR  (California Bearing Ratio) of in-situ soils by 4 to 6 times.
  • The second soil stabilizing objective is to prevent the ingress of water into the treated layer, as water penetration and heavy frosts  are the cause of many road failures.

What is a Polymer?

AggreBInd cross-linking polymer
  • The word polymer is used for a wide variety of products offered to the road construction industry.
  • Some of these soil stabilizing “polymer” products have the same formula as soap powders. They simply lubricate the soil to assist in achieving maximum density when the treated soil is compacted. They have no binding properties at all.
  • Many of these soil stabilizing “polymer” products require large clay content and rely on the layer to be treated having clay to provide the binding properties required for a successful road base.

Other stabilizing methods:

AggreBind comparison
  • Bitumen emulsions can be used as a binding agents for producing a road base. Bitumen is not environmentally friendly and becomes brittle when it dries out.
  • Lime and cement soil stabilizing powders are broadly marketed. They are extremely difficult to apply, in particular in windy conditions, and they are difficult to apply uniformly in wet soil conditions. These issues can adversely affect the consistency and strength of the soil stabilized layer.
  • Asphalt is generally used as a wearing surface, is very expensive and not environmentally friendly.

Traditionally and widely accepted types of soil stabilization techniques use products such as bitumen emulsions which can be used as a soil stabilizing binding agent for producing a road base. However, bitumen is not environmentally friendly and becomes brittle when it dries out. Portland cement has been used as an alternative to soil stabilization. However, this can often be expensive and is not a very good “green” alternative. Cement Fly Ash, Lime Fly Ash (separately, or with Cement or Lime), Asphalt, Bitumen, Tar, Cement Kiln Dust (CKD), Tree resin and Ionic stabilizers are all commonly used soil stabilizing agents.

There are advantages and disadvantages to many of these soil stabilizers.

Many of the “green” products have essentially the same formula as soap powders, merely lubricating and realigning the soil with no effective binding property. Many of the new soil stabilizing approaches rely on large amounts of clay with its inherent binding properties. Bitumen,tar emulsions, asphalt, cement, lime can be used as a binding agents for producing a road base. When using such soil stabilizing products issues such as safety, health and the environment must be considered.

The National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) has explored some of the newer types of soil stabilization technology, specifically looking for “effective and green” alternatives. One of the examples utilizes new soil stabilization technology by AggreBind, a process based on cross-linking copolymer. Another AggreBind example uses long crystals to create a closed cell formation that is impermeable to water and is frost, acid, and salt resistant.

Utilizing AggreBind new soil stabilization technology, a process of cross-linking within the polymeric formulation can replace traditional road/house construction methods in an environmentally friendly and effective way.

It is important to fully understand that AggreBind soil stabilizer is a cross-linking water-based copolymer that significantly improves the load-bearing capacity and tensile strength of all AggreBind treated soils and is used extensively in soil stabilization.

In short, AggreBind is a unique soil stabilizing product and
can be used for a wide range of applications.

If you need answers to specific soil stabilizing questions related to AggreBind please click on a relevant button below.

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