Effect of Sugarcane Bagasse Ash Incorporated with Limestone Calcined Clay Cement on Geotechnical Properties of Swelling Soils Relevant to Road Applications

Authors

• Horris K. NANGULAMA, University of Dar es salaamFollow
• Siya P. Rimoy, University of Dar es SalaamFollow
• John E. Elvis, University of Dar es SalaamFollow

ORCID

ORCID for Horris K. Nangulama: 0000-0002-1984-2625 

ORCID for Siya P. Rimoy: 0000-0001-5678-7269.

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the use and effect of sugarcane bagasse ash (BA) incorporated with limestone calcined clay cement (LC³) as a sustainable and cost-effective alternative for stabilizing swelling soils. Therefore, BA incorporating LC³ was added to black cotton soil (BCS), known for its high swelling potential. Series of laboratory tests including free swell index (FSI), compaction, California bearing ratio (CBR), and shear strength were conducted to evaluate the performance of BA incorporating LC³ binder-stabilized BCS. Additionally, microstructural analyses using pore size distribution (PSD), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were performed to understand the underlying stabilization mechanism. Results showed that BA incorporating LC³ binder stabilization exhibited good FSI, compaction, CBR, and shear strength performance characteristics on treated BCS. FSI was reduced by approximately 71.8%, transforming the high swelling BCS to non-swelling behavior. CBR performance was found to be comparable to that of OPC binder stabilization, complying with requirements for foundation soil road applications. Shear strength of treated BCS increased with increasing binder content, vertical pressure and curing period. PSD, XRD and SEM analyses revealed that calcium aluminosilicate hydrates (CASH) are prime cementitious products formed behind stabilized BCS. Analysis pertaining to carbon footprint and cost indicated that BA incorporating LC³ binder is a cleaner and cost-effective construction material. This study promotes application of BA incorporating LC³ binder technique for BCS treatment, aligning with efforts to address climate change impacts and reduce infrastructure development costs.

Recommended Citation

NANGULAMA, H. K., Rimoy, S. P., & Elvis, J. E. (2026). Effect of Sugarcane Bagasse Ash Incorporated with Limestone Calcined Clay Cement on Geotechnical Properties of Swelling Soils Relevant to Road Applications. Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET), 45(2), 22-34. https://doi.org/10.65085/2619-8789.1018

Publisher Name

University of Dar es Salaam