Geopolymerization of Kaolin Clay with Hemp Fibers for Sustainable Soil Stabilization.

In this study, the aim was to improve the mechanical and durability properties of kaolin clay (KC)-based soil by stabilizing it with geopolymer and natural fiber. In the production of the geopolymer, rice husk ash (RHA) was used as a binder, sodium metasilicate (SMS) as an activator, and another hemp fiber (HF)was used for soil stabilization. Within the scope of the presented study, RHA and SMS were used at three different rates (5%, 7.5%, and 10%), while HF was used in six different volumes (0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, 2%, 2.5%, and 3%) and two different lengths (6 and 12 mm). The study also examined how much water was in the combinations, which was measured at the optimum level and at -5, +5, and +10 compared to the optimum level. The unconfined compressive strength (UCS) was used to check the mechanical qualities of the test specimens and 5- and 10-cycle freeze-thaw (F-T) tests to check the durability properties. The test results indicated that the mixed formulation with 5% RHA, 10% SMS, 2.5% HF, and the optimum water content resulted in the best results for both the UCS and F-T tests. The SEM investigation for this mix found that the microstructural properties for the specimen were directly related to the dense gel phases and the strong fiber-matrix bonding. According to the carbon emissions (CO