Volume 23, Issue 59, January - June, 2026

Stabilization of black cotton soil in Chittur region in Palakkad using lime, rice husk ash, coir fibre

Jayakrishnan R^1♦, Johnpaul V², Balasundaram N³, Senthilkumar S⁴

¹Research scholar, Department of Civil Engineering, Karpagam Academy of Higher education, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu-641021, India
²Department of Civil Engineering, Karpagam Academy of Higher education, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu- 641021, India
³Department of Civil Engineering, Karpagam Academy of Higher education, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu- 641021, India
⁴Department of Civil Engineering, K,S.R College of Engineering, Trichengode, Tamil Nadu- 637215, India

^♦Corresponding Author
Jayakrishnan R, Research scholar, Department of Civil Engineering, Karpagam Academy of Higher education, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu-641021, India

ABSTRACT

The effectiveness of lime, rice husk ash, and coir fibre as environmentally friendly soil stabilizers in enhancing the engineering qualities of black cotton soil is one of the most extensive and troublesome soils found in Chittur Taluk, Kerala is examined in this study. The experimental program involved determining physical, index, compaction, and strength characteristics of soil treated with various proportions of lime (5-15%), RHA (5-15%), and coir fibre (0.25-1%). Relative density, Fineness Modulus, Atterberg Limits, Standard Proctor Test, CBR, UCS, and Direct Shear Test are some of the tests conducted. Results showed that lime was highly effective in reducing plasticity and improving compaction and strength characteristics, although the maximum improvement, with the highest MDD, CBR, UCS, and shear strength, was obtained for 15% lime. Because of the pozzolanic reactions, RHA showed a moderate improvement in soil properties, including increased workability and stability. The best results were seen at a 15% replacement level. By decreasing the brittleness of the stabilized soil matrix, coir fibre greatly improved ductility while only slightly increasing strength. Finally, lime is found to be the most effective stabilizer, and RHA and coir fibre provided some supplementary eco-friendly benefits. The combined findings show the potential of these locally available stabilizers in providing cost-effective, durable, and sustainable solutions for expansive soil improvement.

Keywords: Black cotton soil; Soil stabilization; Lime; Rice husk ash (RHA); Coir fibre.

Indian Journal of Engineering, 2026, 23(59), e3ije1709

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi.v23i59.e3ije1709

Published: 07 March 2026