Strength Tests and Mechanism of Composite Stabilized Lightweight Soil Using Dredged Sludge

To achieve resourceful utilization of dredged sludge, lightweight treatment was performed on sludge from Xunsi River in Wuhan using fly ash, cement, and expanded polystyrene (EPS) particles. Density tests and unconfined compressive strength (UCS) tests were conducted on the composite stabilized sludge lightweight soil to determine the optimal mix ratio for high-quality roadbed fill material with low self-weight and high strength. Subsequently, microstructural tests, including X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), were conducted. The Particle (Pore) and Crack Analysis System (PCAS) was used to analyze the SEM images, investigating the cement-fly ash composite stabilization mechanism. The experimental results showed that the optimal lightweight treatment was achieved with an EPS content of 80% (by volume ratio to dry soil), cement content of 7.5% (by mass ratio to dry soil), and fly ash content of 5% (by mass ratio to dry soil). The density of the optimized lightweight soil was 1.04 g/cm3, a reduction of 28.27% compared to the density of raw sludge soil (1.45 g/cm3). The UCS increased significantly from 110 kPa for raw sludge soil to 551 kPa. The addition of fly ash enhanced the hydration and secondary hydration reactions between cement and sludge, generating more calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) gel, which filled the larger pores between the EPS particles and soil particles, as well as those between the soil particles themselves, making the structure denser. Compared to single cement stabilization, composite stabilization resulted in a lower content of expansive ettringite crystals, a more uniform pore distribution, fewer pores, and a lower surface porosity ratio. These research findings can provide theoretical support and practical references for the lightweight treatment of dredged sludge in the Yangtze River Basin of Central China.