Vama stabilization of broken fragipan material
1974
STOUT, WILLIAM L. | Ciolkosz, E. J.
Broken Albrights fragipan material was treated with aqueous solutions of from 0.1 to 1.0 percent concentrations of vinyl acetate maleic acid copolymer (VAMA) for 1 min or 12 hr, air-dried, and subjected to a series of wetting and drying cycles (to simulate field conditions) in the laboratory. Approximately one-half of the treated samples were also subjected to overburden weight equal to 2 ft of soil material. Data from the weighted and unweighted studies indicate that fragipan material can be successfully stabilized under simulated field conditions. The amount and duration of stability depends on 1) the concentration of the aggregating agent, and 2) the duration of the contact of the aggregating agent with the fragipan material. In general, increased concentration of VAMA treatment results in a regular decrease in the amount of slumping. The greater the time of contact, other factors constant, the greater the stabilization. This undoubtedly is the result of deeper penetration of the VAMA into the fragipan material with resultant greater stabilization. Overburden weight is also a significant factor. Static weight tends to pack the material into a tighter mass, thus sealing off more water-conducting pores and channelways. At the termination of the study (15 cycles), some of the treated materials were still adequately stabilized, but a projection of the data indicates that even these treatments would fail if subjected to additional cycles. Thus, if extended stability is to be obtained in the field, natural aggregating processes will have to assume the stabilizing function or additional treatments will be necessary. These data indicate further testing in the field is necessary to determine the feasibility of this method for stabilizing broken fragipan material.
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