The Durability of Biopolymer Treated Sand

Biopolymers are eco-friendly and sustainable replacements for conventional soil treatment materials like cement and lime. The objective of this paper is to assess the durability of sand treated with varying content of biopolymers, with and without stabilization using clay fillers. Previous studies have shown that treating sand with biopolymers leads to an increase in its strength. However, the strength and long-term durability of such bio-improved sand are affected by severe environmental conditions. In this study, xanthan gum and locust bean gum (separately as well as in proportion), with and without using clay fillers, were used to mix with sand at optimum moisture content. Proctor specimens were prepared and tested for wetting-drying cycles following ASTM D559 with modification. The weight loss of samples after each cycle of wetting-drying was reported. The durability of sand increased with increasing content of biopolymer and the use of a combination of two biopolymers, but durability did not improve with clay filler stabilization.