Experimental study on the mechanical properties of red clay stabilized by cement and multi-source solid wastes

Xunan Li; Xiang Zhou; Michael Adeyemi; Xunan Li; Xiang Zhou; Michael Adeyemi

doi:10.3934/matersci.2026025

AIMS Materials Science

2026, Volume 13, Issue 3: 518-537. doi: 10.3934/matersci.2026025

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Research article

Experimental study on the mechanical properties of red clay stabilized by cement and multi-source solid wastes

School of Civil Engineering, Xijing University, Xian, Shaanxi Province, 710123, China

Received: 11 March 2026 Revised: 20 May 2026 Accepted: 02 June 2026 Published: 09 June 2026

Red clay exhibits unfavorable engineering properties that limit its direct use as subgrade fill material. This study investigated the stabilization of red clay using cement, fly ash, silica fume, and brick powder. Uniaxial compression tests were conducted on single-stabilizer and multi-component mixtures to evaluate their mechanical behavior. Results show that cement provides the highest strength improvement, followed by silica fume, fly ash, and brick powder. Multi-component mixtures with cement as the primary binder, combined with silica fume and fly ash, achieved the highest strengths from 2.0 to 2.4 MPa, representing a 40% increase over single-stabilizer treatments. Three distinct failure modes were identified: ductile fragmentation, X-shaped conjugate shear bands, and single-plane brittle shear. Their evolution is governed by the dominant stabilization mechanism. Range analysis revealed the influence weights of the four stabilizers on strength development as 0.594 for cement, 0.183 for silica fume, 0.135 for fly ash, and 0.088 for brick powder. A predictive model based on a comprehensive strengthening coefficient was proposed and validated against experimental data. The findings demonstrate that the synergistic use of cement and multi-source solid waste provides an effective approach for red clay improvement.
- red clay,
- multi-source solid waste,
- stabilization,
- uniaxial compression,
- failure mode
Citation: Xunan Li, Xiang Zhou, Michael Adeyemi. Experimental study on the mechanical properties of red clay stabilized by cement and multi-source solid wastes[J]. AIMS Materials Science, 2026, 13(3): 518-537. doi: 10.3934/matersci.2026025

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Abstract

Red clay exhibits unfavorable engineering properties that limit its direct use as subgrade fill material. This study investigated the stabilization of red clay using cement, fly ash, silica fume, and brick powder. Uniaxial compression tests were conducted on single-stabilizer and multi-component mixtures to evaluate their mechanical behavior. Results show that cement provides the highest strength improvement, followed by silica fume, fly ash, and brick powder. Multi-component mixtures with cement as the primary binder, combined with silica fume and fly ash, achieved the highest strengths from 2.0 to 2.4 MPa, representing a 40% increase over single-stabilizer treatments. Three distinct failure modes were identified: ductile fragmentation, X-shaped conjugate shear bands, and single-plane brittle shear. Their evolution is governed by the dominant stabilization mechanism. Range analysis revealed the influence weights of the four stabilizers on strength development as 0.594 for cement, 0.183 for silica fume, 0.135 for fly ash, and 0.088 for brick powder. A predictive model based on a comprehensive strengthening coefficient was proposed and validated against experimental data. The findings demonstrate that the synergistic use of cement and multi-source solid waste provides an effective approach for red clay improvement.

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