On geotechnical properties of a lime-stabilized soft clay soil in Northern Quebec under freeze-thaw conditions

魁北克不断发展的瓦斯卡尼什社区的基础设施发展产生了过量的挖掘粘土。随着瓦斯卡尼什的不断发展，粘土堆积及其管理的问题预计至少在未来20年内仍将存在。我们的合作行业合作伙伴BluMetric Environmental Inc.正在提出一项可持续的增值战略，该战略使用石灰稳定方法加固软粘土结构，形成适合土木和基础设施工程(无需挖掘/储存粘土)的经过处理的颗粒状材料。在温暖的国家，使用石灰稳定没有问题；但在魁北克Waskaganish等寒冷地区，仍然存在一些关于石灰稳定土在低温下的行为的担忧，特别是在冻结和融化的条件下。在本研究项目中，我们计划对从魁北克北部瓦斯卡尼什地区回收的石灰稳定软粘土进行实验室试验，以研究冻结和融化循环对不同石灰/粘土比例的石灰稳定土的岩土性质的影响。该项目的成功完成将直接为BluMetric在瓦斯卡尼什的项目确定最佳石灰/粘土比例提供指导。如果测试结果是肯定的，对粘土进行石灰处理可以减少魁北克这一地区有限的颗粒资源的使用，并减少储存粘土对环境的不利影响。

Infrastructure development in the growing community of Waskaganish, Quebec has produced an excess quantity of excavated clay. As Waskaganish continues to develop, the issue of clay accumulation and its management is expected to remain for at least the next 20 years. Our collaboration industry partner BluMetric Environmental Inc. is proposing a sustainable value-added strategy that reinforce the soft clay structure using lime-stabilized approach to form a processed granular material suitable for civil and infrastructure work (no need to excavate/stockpile the clay). In warm countries, lime stabilization is used without problems; but in cold regions like Waskaganish, Quebec, some concerns are still present in relation to behavior of lime-stabilized soils at low temperatures, particularly in conditions of freezing and thawing. In this research project, we plan to conduct laboratory tests on lime-stabilized soft clay soils retrieved from Waskaganish area, Northern Quebec to study the impact of freeze and thaw cycles on geotechnical properties of lime-stabilized soils with different lime/clay ratios. The success completion of this project will directly provide a guidance on the optimum lime/clay ratio determination for BluMetric's project at Waskaganish. If the tests are conclusive, the lime treatment of clay could reduce the use of granular resources which are limited in this region of Quebec and reduce the adverse environmental effects of stockpiling clay.