Fourteenth International Conference on Climate Change: Impacts & Responses

Abstract

Dust particles, especially if coated by pollution, act as condensation nuclei for warm cloud formation and as efficient ice nuclei agents for the cold cloud generation TSodium silicate by acid-base reaction, as an alkaline material neutralizes and transforms to silica gel once mixed with water and spread within the soil. Upon contact, soil can reduce the overall pH of scattered sodium silicate solution to a level that silica gel may form. To study the cemented soil’s disintegration and stability that implicate the soil and silica gel interparticle linkage and cohesion, the specimens were immersed in water. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analysis was also performed to understand the formation of any new chemical bonding. In addition, scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis were carried out to appraise the microstructure and thermal behavior of cemented soil. The influence of wind erosion on cemented soil was determined through a series of wind tunnel tests in a period of 12 hours; direct shear test and permeability analyses were conducted as well to assess the soil’s quality changes. It was found that a higher concentration of sodium silicate shortens the cementation time and reinforces the soil medium to a higher level without the establishment of any new chemical bonding. Microstructural observations have also confirmed the formation of compact and dense soil due to the cementation by silica gel. The results of this study confirm the effectiveness of soil stabilization by silica gel that can be performed on a large scale.