ABSTRACT
Dredging is the removal of sediments and debris from the bottom of lakes, rivers, harbours and other water bodies. It is a necessity in waterways around the world because sedimentation gradually fills channels and harbours. The main hazard involved in the dredging process is the efficient disposal of the dredged material. This study focussed on Koyilandy Fishing Harbour Kozhikkode, Kerala, India where this problem is very vital. The dredged material here is highly expansive organic clay which cannot be even used for reclamation of the shore for the construction of tranquillity basins. As dredging of about one lakh cubic metre is conducted annually, a considerable amount of dredged material is being accumulated.
This paper describes the stabilization of the dredged soil using fly ash, which is also an industrial by-product waste. The optimum amount of fly ash to be added was found out through a series of laboratory tests. This amount of fly ash required to improve the soil properties through its cementing action and its ultimate bearing capacity were estimated by a Mini-Plate Load Test. The stabilized soil can then be used for the effective land reclamation. The application of the stabilized soil in pavement construction is also discussed by performing the California Bearing Ratio (CBR) test.
