Documentos de Académico
Documentos de Profesional
Documentos de Cultura
P. Lahtinen
Ramboll Finland Oy, Luopioinen, Finland
V. Niutanen
Biomaa Oy, Nurmijärvi, Finland
ABSTRACT: Mass stabilization technology has been developing to complete the more established column
stabilization technology in Finland since the beginning of the 1990’s. Along with this development the ex-
ploitation of the deep stabilization technology has been extending and diversifying. Compared with column
stabilization mass stabilization is more effective in increasing the stability of an embankment, an excavation
or a slope. Mass stabilization has also made it possible to stabilize soft soil like peat and soft mud in an eco-
nomical way. Thick and weak soft soil sites have been stabilized in a technically and economically ideal way
by combining column stabilization with mass stabilization. Consequently, mass stabilization has won popu-
larity for the stabilization of soft soil in several European countries as well as in the North and South America
during the 2000’s. Also the equipment for the mass stabilization has been developing. The newest technical
development has lead to so-called process stabilization equipment for the treatment of dredged or excavated
soft soil masses. In connection with the new applications also new possibilities of binder (or stabilizer) ad-
mixtures have been studied and developed. The research and development work of binders for peat and con-
taminated mud has been especially challenging and will continue also in the future. The binders for contami-
nated mud need to meet criteria to an environmental, technical and economical optimum. The optimal
solution for peat soil will be searched for with help of stabilization and pre-compaction.
2 DEVELOPMENT OF EQUIPMENT
Compression strenght [
y = 2,1742x - 79,435
For these reasons the Finnish contractor Biomaa Oy 250
Mass stabilisation, b, 28 d 2
R = 0,9949
has been developing a so-called process stabilization
200
system for the treatment of dredged mud. In this sys-
150
tem the dredged mud will be transferred directly
100
from the barge to the mixing unit of the system. The
50
binder in exact portions will be also fed into the
mixing unit. After mixing the mixture of dredged 0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
mud and binder is pumped into the filling basin. The 3
Binder amount by titration [kg/m ]
dosage and usage of binder is efficient and the stabi-
lization independent from the depth of the basin.
The prototype of the process stabilization equip- Figure 7. Comparison of homogeneity of stabilized dredged
material when used process stabilization and mass stabilization
ment has been developed and tested during EU with two different mixing drums. The binder amount of sam-
LIFE-Environment project Stable (LIFE06 ples from process stabilized basin is very homogeneous in
ENV/FIN/195) in Port of Turku. Figure 6 shows the comparison with the binder amounts from the mass stabiliza-
prototype equipment in Turku in the autumn 2007. tion basins. The figure also indicates direct correlation between
The process stabilization was carried out parallel the compression strength and the binder amount.
with the normal mass stabilization in order to com-
pare the stabilization quality and other, technical and
environmental aspects of the systems. The mass sta-
bilization with two different types of mixing drums 3 DEVELOPMENT OF BINDERS
was conducted in the barge from which the mixtures
were moved to a stabilization basin. Figure 7 gives The development of a proper recipe for mass stabili-
an example of the results for homogeneity of the sta- zation involves much more challenges than for the
bilized masses for comparison. There is a distinct more conventional column stabilization. One of the
difference between the results with different mass reasons is that mass stabilization is mainly applied to
stabilization mixing drums but the result with proc- quite soft peat or muddy soils including often con-
ess stabilization is superior. taminated dredged mud which are difficult to stabi-
lize or solidify. Additionally, the development of a
cost efficient binder admixture is important because
the costs of binder materials are easily even 70 - 80
per cent of the total costs of the stabilization process.
Pre-compaction is essential to the peat stabiliza-
tion. The required amount of pre-compaction varies
depending on the type of peat. In a soil laboratory
the pre-compaction can be simulated and varied with
help of a special pre-compaction equipment or pre-
compaction bench like shown in Figure 8.
250
Sample 1
Sample 2
200
Sample 3
150
kPa
100
50
0,2
0,1
SRC+FA+DSR
case of Aurajoki would be about 10 Millions Euro.
0,0
SRC+FA The production and transports of the cement would
consume significant amount of energy involving an
Not stabilized
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 C+FA80 90 100
An example of dredged material being difficult to Mass stabilization has rapidly developed to a sig-
stabilize is the TBT-contaminated dredged material nificant area of deep stabilization technology along-
from Aurajoki, Turku. Extensive stabilization tests side with the column stabilization. Along with this
have been carried out during the LIFE-Environment development the exploitation of the deep stabiliza-
project Stable. The binder components for the stud- tion technology has been extending and diversifying.
ies included different types of cement, lime, coal fly Mass stabilization increases the use of deep stabili-
ash, oil shale ash from Estonia, pulverized blast- zation for the road, rail and municipal construction
furnace slag and process gypsum from chemical in- projects as it makes it possible to apply deep stabili-
dustry. Figure 12 shows some of the test results. zation on the areas of soft soil like peat and mud.
Also, mass stabilization is a feasible solution for
600
many stability problems of embankments and
Stab for 90 d, +8°C
trenches. Further, mass stabilization has brought
500
Stab for 180 d, +8°C about economically feasible and sustainable exploi-
400
tation of soft and even contaminated dredged mate-
Target level: 100 kPa rials for the development of the port infrastructure.
300
3
Mass stabilization is furthering the sustainable in-
200
Increase of OSA 150 → 250 kg/m
frastructure development in many ways. The binder
admixtures involve the recycling of many industrial
100
residues or by-products. This is economically bene-
0
ficial for the ports and other developers, and envi-
ronmentally beneficial due to the savings of energy
C1+OSA C1+OSA CA+OSA C1 (200) C1 (250) C2+BFS+FA C2+BFS+FA
(50+150) (50+200) (50+250) (45+105+100) (70+150+100)