Improving Physical Characteristics of Collapsible Soil (Case Study: Tehran-Semnan Railroad)

Collapsible soils could widely be found in central part of Iran and has caused lots of problems for roads and railroads in that region. Appearance of wide cracks in the collapsible soil near the Tehran-Semnan railroad tracks has caused some worries regarding the safety and performance of the railroad. However, due to the high traffic of the railroad, it is impossible to block the road for remedy. Therefore using injection method was found the most suitable alternative to improve the soil along railroad. The results of field and laboratory tests revealed that the injection of lime has better effects on improving soil characteristics than the other materials. It will significantly decrease the collapsibility potential of soil in saturated condition and will cause an increase in loading capacity of soil. Lime injection was suggested as the most appropriate solution for projects with similar geological condition.