INDEX PROPERTIES AND COMPACTION CHARACTERISTICS OF CEMENT-STABILIZED VERMI-REMEDIATED CRUDE OIL–CONTAMINATED BLACK COTTON SOIL FOR HIGHWAY SUBGRADE APPLICATIONS
Keywords:
Black cotton soil; vermi-remediation; cement stabilization; Atterberg limits; compaction; crude oil contamination; highway subgradeAbstract
Black cotton soil (BCS) contaminated with crude oil presents serious engineering and environmental challenges across oil-producing regions of Nigeria, particularly Borno State. Conventional stabilization of such soils without prior remediation is unsustainable and may not address hydrocarbon persistence. This study evaluates the index properties and compaction characteristics of vermi-remediated crude oil–contaminated black cotton soil stabilized with Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) at 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8% by dry weight. Soil samples from Gamadadi, Borno State (10.320163°N, 11.5484146°E) were artificially contaminated at 8% crude oil by dry weight, bioremediated using Eisenia fetida earthworms over 30 days, and subsequently stabilized with cement. Laboratory tests—including Atterberg limits, specific gravity, particle size distribution (PSD), and proctor compaction under British Standard Light (BSL), West African Standard (WAS), and British Standard Heavy (BSH) efforts—were conducted in accordance with BS 1377 (1990). The vermi-remediation process achieved a total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) removal efficiency of 22.43%. The natural soil was classified as A-7-6 (19) (AASHTO) and CH (USCS), with a liquid limit (LL) of 57.8%, plasticity index (PI) of 29.15%, and specific gravity of 2.32. Cement addition progressively reduced LL from 55.0% to 48.0%, decreased PI from 25.37% to 13.68%, and reduced linear shrinkage from 16.43% to 12.86%. Specific gravity increased from 2.25 to 2.34 with cement content. Maximum dry density (MDD) exhibited a general decrease from 0–6% cement, then a slight recovery at 8%, across all compactive efforts (BSL: 1.63–1.62 Mg/m³; WAS: 1.77–1.74 Mg/m³; BSH: 1.85–1.83 Mg/m³). Optimum moisture content (OMC) increased from 0–6% cement and decreased slightly at 8%, with values consistently lower under higher compactive effort. Cement stabilization of vermi-remediated black cotton soil significantly improves index properties, though values remain above AASHTO base course thresholds. The treated soil demonstrates properties appropriate for use as subgrade and sub-base material, supporting sustainable reuse of petroleum-contaminated soils in highway construction.References
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