Study the possibility of treating saline soils using cement-activated fly ash

One of the most serious problems facing geotechnical engineers is the presence of saline soil because of its collapsing behavior which causes engineering problems for the foundations of the buildings constructed on it. These soils contain chloride salts that are quickly soluble in water when subjected to any sores of water, thus breaking the bonds between the molecules. Three types of saline soils with different salt content (7%, 25%, and 43%) were examined. The possibility of improving their ultimate bearing pressure was investigated using Portland cement-activated fly ash with different mixing proportions (5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%). The results of an experimental study conducted that mixing soil with 5% of this additive increased ultimate bearing pressure three times at the dry test and 6 times at the soaking test. This additive is considered economical and applicable for treating such problematic soil.