Laboratory investigation of the strength development of alkali-activated slag-stabilized chloride saline soil

Saline soil stabilization is being increasingly applied in foundation treatment engineering. Chloride saline soil obtained from sites and laboratory-made chloride soil (ZS) with various NaCl concentrations prepared artificially were stabilized using alkali-activated slag (AS). A series of unconfined compressive strength (UCS) tests, X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDXA), thermal gravity-differential thermal gravity (TG-DTG), and ion concentration tests were conducted to investigate the strength variation and mechanism of the AS-stabilized chloride saline soils. The results showed that NaCl has a significant influence on the strength of AS-stabilized chloride saline soil and the strength of AS-stabilized ZS (GZS) increases with increase of chloride content in soil samples. Friedel’s salt (Fs) and NaOH are generated by the reaction of NaCl and CaO·Al2O3 (CA) in the slag in the GZS. Fs can fill the pores in stabilized soil, and NaOH can promote calcium silicate hydrate (CSH) generation. These two effects combine to enhance the strength of GZS. The relationship between the rate of increase of 28-d UCS of AS-stabilized chloride saline soil and the chloride content in soil was obtained through regression analysis of the increase of UCS of GZS.