Soil curing is one of the effective methods for stabilization and improving soil, and it has received wide acceptance from many researchers in the world in the field of soil and its stabilization, but there are those who use the method of placing it in a container, and others at room temperature, now, what are the criteria for choosing each of them and which one gives effectiveness and better accuracy?
#soil
#soil stabilization
#curring
#geotechnical
Dear Waleed,
The matter is not the soil itself. Curing raw soil has no sense unless, you wish to homogenize humidity in it. However, curing the stabilized soils depends on the type of binder that is used for stabilization. If you use chemical binders that require water for reaction, such as hydraulic binders (cement for instance) or pozzolanic binders (lime for instance), then you'll need to keep water in your specimens as long as possible after for reactions to continue and therefore for better efficiency of the stabilization.
Well, once that is clear, the choice of the curing method depends on the researcher's philosophy. Keeping the specimens for a given period after their fabrication in a controlled Temperature and relative humidity environment may rely on the purpose of comparing various admixtures' performances so that the differences could be assessed with no doubt on any impact of their curing conditions. Finally, some scientists may consider that leaving specimens in varying temperature and relative humidity is more realistic. That is to say that these conditions are like those occurring in the construction site where it isn't possible to apply laboratory curing methods.
regards
Generally curing is the term used to add the water lost due to high temperature or other harsh ambient conditions and is important for hydration of binders like cement or lime. More importantly method of curing depends upon the binder you want to use as a stabilizer for your soil.
Curing is generally done for lab soil samples stabilized with materials such as cement, lime, NaOH (for geopolymers) etc. For reliability of test results uniformity in curing shall also be maintained; therefore, curing of the treated samples may be done at constant temperature & humidity, i.e. in container with controlled environment.
Soil Curing is dependent on which method is being applied for air drying - room temperature is well accepted, while other types of curing like cement, lime, fly ash, stone dust stabilization several laboratory conditions must be meant.
Curing soil involves creating conditions that support the growth of beneficial microorganisms and break down organic matter to be used to grow healthy plants.
It is generally better to cure soil at room temperature, rather than in a container, as this allows for better air circulation and the exchange of gases, which can help to support the growth of beneficial microorganisms.
When curing soil in a container, it can be more difficult to maintain the proper balance of moisture, air, and nutrients that are needed to promote healthy soil. If the container is not properly ventilated, it can also create an environment that is conducive to the growth of harmful microorganisms or pests, which can damage plants.
In general, it is best to cure soil in a location that provides good air circulation, moderate temperatures, and access to natural light, if possible. This can help promote healthy soil and ensure it is ready for planting when the time comes.
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