Mixing Cement with Dirt or Soil | Ultimate Explanation

With the technological revolution, there are a lot of newer things that can be found in the construction universe, and among them, mixing cement with dirt or soil is a new invention. Nowadays, soil or dirt is being used with cement to prepare a new type of cement which is known as soil cement.

Now you may think about whether it’s an ideal choice to use dirt with cement or not and how it can be done. Well, soil cement is widely used for constructing road pavement. If the soil cement term is new to you then there is nothing to worry about as we are here to help you to learn the basic things about it.

Read on and learn the unknown about soil cement. So, without any further ado, let’s begin then!

What is The Output of Mixing Cement with Dirt?

By mixing dirt with Portland cement, a new type of cement is created which is known as soil cement. Basically, it’s a highly compacted mixture that consists of soil/dirt, Portland cement, and water. Water and Portland cement helps to strengthen the properties of the soil cement which make the soil cement more durable.

By following the codes, a proper portion of the soil, cement, and water is used to produce the soil cement. We will discuss this in brief in the later part of this article. 

This type of cement is widely used for constructing road pavement, parking lots, patios, airport pavements, and so on. Also, pavement that is constructed with Soil cement is less thick than the regular type of pavement. And due to this, the load can be distributed over a large area. This kind of cement is highly economical, capable of providing good weather resistance and strength with a low maintenance cost, etc.

Types of Soil Cement

There are basically four types of soil cement. The classification basically depends on the proportion of Portland cement that is used to produce Portland cement. Here are the four types of soil cement –

• Cement Modified Soil or CMS – In this type of soil cement, the proportion of cement is lower here. This soil cement has improved shear strength and Bearing ratio. 
• Soil Cement Base or SCB – The proportion of Portland cement is higher here.
• Cement Treated Base or CTB – Granular soil is used instead of ordinary soil.
• Acrylic Copolymer – Acrylic polymer is used with the mixture which helps to make the soil cement waterproof and UV (Ultraviolet) resistant.

Here are the four types of soil cement. Now, let’s find out how the cement is produced.

The Procedure of Mixing Cement with Dirt to Produce Soil Cement

Soil cement can be produced on-site or at the mixing plant. Preparing the soil cement at the mixing plant is the better choice as it has a lot of things that will need to check out before mixing. 

First, the soil is collected and then taken to the laboratory for conducting several tests. Then pure water and cement are mixed with the soil to create soil cement. The water needs to be free from alkalis, debris, organic materials, etc. Then, cement needs to be spread over the soil and the mixing process starts. After preparing a homogenous mixture, water is added to prepare the cement mixture. 

Pros and Cons of Using Soil Cement

Everything comes with a positive and negative side and soil cement isn’t any different. It has numerous advantages as well as disadvantages. Here we have provided the pros and cons of using soil cement.

Pros

• Can achieve more strength with time.
• Have high strength capacity.
• Low maintenance cost.
• Economical solution.
• Have better weather resistance.
• Help to overcome soil swelling issues.

Cons

• Different densities or optimum moisture content of the soil can create compaction issues.
• Improper mixture can reduce compressive strength.
• Organic soil can’t be used.
• Water penetration issue.
• Can form cracks if the proportion of the cement is higher in the mixture.

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers (FAQs)

What happens if you mix cement with mud?

You can use a certain amount of mud to mix with cement. If the percentage increases, then the compressive strength of that mixture will be reduced. It’s better to not use mud but still, if you are willing to use then use 5% mud for preparing the mixture.

What is the soil-cement mixing method?

For soil-cement mixing, the Deep Mixing Method is used. Basically, it’s an in-situ soil treatment where cementitious materials are blended with native soils.

Conclusion

To sum up, mixing soil with cement can help the pavement to achieve a decent compressive strength. Though it has a lot of limitations but if it is prepared and used properly then you will be able to achieve an outstanding output from this. That’s all for today, if you have any further queries, let us know in the comment box.