The design, construction and performance of transport infrastructure in rural and regional Australia is hampered by vast deposits of unstable soils that are erodible, collapsible, compressible or prone to failure under cyclic loads. The study will examine the effectiveness of lignosulphonate (paper industry by-product) as an additive to curtail unacceptable erosion, settlement and mass movement, thereby improving foundation performance. An analytically robust and experimentally validated model representing the cyclic behavior of lignosulphonate-treated soils will be developed for better design of roads and rail. The stabilisation mechanisms of lignosulphonate and its advantages over conventional cement and lime treatment will be quantified.
The design, construction and performance of transport infrastructure in rural and regional Australia is hampered by vast deposits of unstable soils that are erodible, collapsible, compressible or prone to failure under cyclic loads. The study will examine the effectiveness of lignosulphonate (paper industry by-product) as an additive to curtail unacceptable erosion, settlement and mass movement, thereby improving foundation performance. An analytically robust and experimentally validated model representing the cyclic behavior of lignosulphonate-treated soils will be developed for better design of roads and rail. The stabilisation mechanisms of lignosulphonate and its advantages over conventional cement and lime treatment will be quantified.