ABSTRACT
Marine clays, characterized by low shear strength and high-water content, require stabilization to improve their engineering behavior. This study investigates the influence of molding water content on the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of marine clay treated with various binders, including cement, biomass silica, and crushed concrete powder. Mixtures were prepared at optimum moisture content (OMC), dry of OMC, and wet of OMC to simulate field conditions. UCS tests were conducted after 0, 7, and 14 days of curing to evaluate immediate and early strength gain. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to analyze the direct and interactive effects of molding water content, binder dosage, and curing period. Results showed that higher molding water content, combined with increased binder content, consistently yielded superior strength. The findings highlight the critical role of water content in marine clay stabilization and provide insights for optimizing binder performance in geotechnical applications.
