Role of Lime Content on Soil-Lime Reaction under Thermal Curing

In this study to examine the role of lime content on strength a black cotton soil from Chennai was selected. After knowing the Initial Consumption of Lime (ICL) required for the soil selected four percentages of lime( i.e. 3%, 5%, 7% and 9%) were added with the soil and UCC specimens were prepared to study the effect of lime on strength. The specimens thus prepared were cured at three different temperatures of 5°C, 30°C and 50°C for curing periods of 7, 14, 28 and 90 days. The results show that increase in lime content increases the strength upto certain lime content and beyond that the strength reduces. The optimum lime content for strength gain depends on curing temperature. The lime addition equal to ICL is not very effective in increasing the strength irrespective of curing temperatures. From the tests conducted for various lime contents and curing temperatures, it was observed that the maximum portion of strength was obtained in initial curing period of 7 days.