Laboratory Evaluation of Mixing Energy Consumption and Its Influence on Soil-Cement Strength

Fourteen model soil-cement columns were installed in two containers in the laboratory to investigate the influence of mixing energy consumption on the unconfined compressive strength of soil-cement mixtures by varying mixing conditions. The variables of mixing conditions included cement content, speed of installation (mixing down and up), rate of mixer rotation, number of mixing cycles, and column length. Electric power was measured during the installation of all the model columns. The factors that influenced the mixing energy consumption during the installation were evaluated, and a relationship between the mixing energy consumption and the unconfined compressive strength of soil-cement mixtures was developed. This relationship was compared with that obtained in the laboratory soil-quicklime mixing tests from another study. The test results show that the unconfined compressive strength increases with an increase of mixing energy consumption, up to a threshold value. Any further increase of the energy does not provide a significant contribution to the strength of soil-cement mixtures.