Importance of Microstructural Analysis in Experimental Soil Stabilization

Microstructural analysis is an important part of the experimental soil mechanics and every laboratory soil mechanics investigation should be completed by one type of microstructural analysis. Microstructural analysis in soil mechanics encompasses to main elements of scanning electron microscopic (SEM) analysis and X-ray powder diffraction analysis (XRD). In SEM analysis, a visual presentation shows the occurred interactions between soil and or agent’s particles and morphological changes are highlighted. In XRD analysis, the constituent elements of the soil and or agents are investigated. In fact, in SEM analyses physical characteristics of the microparticles are investigated, and in XRD analysis, their chemical characteristics. This study reviews a series of studies conducted in the field of geotechnical engineering and specifically in ground improvement area where the microstructural analysis has been effective in achieving robust results.

Keywords: Microstructural analysis; Soil Mechanics; SEM; EDS; XRD