The impact of natural ornamental limestone dust on swelling characteristics of high expansive soils

Expansive soils are considered as a potential natural hazard if they are not adequately treated. Expansive soils have high potential for shrinking and swelling under changing moisture conditions and cause extensive damages to engineering infrastructures. This study is concerned with the suitability of natural ornamental limestone dust to reduce the swelling characteristics of high expansive soils. The results are revealed that the swelling pressure and percent of heave are greatly decreased with increasing the inserted core diameters and mixing percentages of limestone dust. The average reduction percent values of swelling pressure and percent of heave are increased from 2.21% to 43.09% and from 2.56% to 45.64%, respectively, for treated soil samples with increase in limestone dust core diameters from 5 mm to 20 mm (1% to 16% of total soil area). The average reduction percent values of swelling pressure and heave percent are increased from 10.29% to 70.73% and from 22.29% to 82.90%, respectively, for treated soil samples with increase in limestone dust mixing percentages from 10% to 30%. The results are revealed that the enhancement in swelling characteristics of high expansive soils that are treated by ornamental limestone dust is mostly attributed to the replacement of high expansive fine clay particles by non-expansive and non-plastic coarse limestone dust particles, and to the presence of a considerable amount of free lime in limestone dust (4.97% as [Ca(OH)₂]) that is responsible for converting the high expansive soils to less expansive soils by pozzolanic reaction. The mixing treatment method is more suitable for surficial and shallow foundation high expansive soil beds, while the compacted limestone dust piles “inserted limestone dust core method” are more suitable for deep foundation high expansive soil beds.