Public Roads: A Journal of Highway Research, Vol. 37. No. 1

Fohs, Donald G.; Kinter, Earl B.; Alexander, Gerson J.; Lunenfeld, Harold; Darby, Leonard M.; Hosea, Harold R.; Chafield, Benjamin V.; Chrzanowski Roberts, Diane · 1972 · ROSA P / United States. Government Printing Office

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Summary

This paper presents findings from a laboratory study investigating the horizontal migration of lime in compacted soil, addressing the efficacy of drill-hole and pressure-injection methods for stabilizing large earth masses where mechanical mixing is impractical. The research was motivated by the growing use of these techniques in highway construction to treat deep embankments, soft foundations, and landslides, despite theoretical concerns that lime placed in discrete holes would not migrate sufficiently to treat the surrounding soil. The experimental design involved statically compacted block specimens (3 by 3 by 11.25 inches) of two plastic soils: Keyport clay loam and Cecil clay. Specimens were prepared at optimum moisture content and maximum dry density, then sealed with paraffin wax except for two end chambers. One chamber was filled with lime-water slurry (ratios of 1:2, 1:3, or 1:6), and the other with dry sand to maintain atmospheric pressure. Specimens were cured in a high-humidity cabinet for periods up to 180 days. After curing, specimens were sliced into 0.25-inch increments, and lime content was determined via titration with EDTA after acid extraction. Moisture content was also measured to assess water movement. The results demonstrated that lime migration was extremely limited. At the point nearest the lime source (0.19 inch), lime content reached approximately 2.5 percent after 180 days, decreasing rapidly to about 0.8 percent at distances of 1.5 to 2 inches. No lime migration was detected beyond 2 inches, even after the full 180-day period. Migration was essentially complete within 100 days, while moisture movement occurred much faster, stabilizing within 14 days. The study found that lime moved primarily by diffusion through liquid-filled pores rather than bulk flow of solution. Contrary to expectations, slurries with lower water content (1:2 ratio) resulted in greater lime migration than those with higher water content (1:6 ratio). Molding moisture content had little effect on migration distance or amount. The authors conclude that the drill-hole method is ineffective for soil stabilization because the amount and distance of lime migration are too small to benefit the bulk of the soil mass. While pressure injection may provide slightly better distribution than drill-hole placement, field observations indicate it results in irregular veinlets and pockets, leaving much of the soil untreated. The study suggests that any observed benefits from these techniques in the field are likely due to factors other than lime migration, such as immediate physical changes in soil structure, rather than chemical stabilization of the surrounding soil.

Key finding

Lime migration in compacted soil is limited to approximately 2 inches, with concentrations decreasing from 2.5 percent near the source to 0.8 percent at the maximum detected distance, rendering drill-hole stabilization ineffective for large soil masses.

Methodology

lab_experiment

Sample size: 2

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

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• roadway lighting effects
• rail grade crossings
• signage environment
• perceptual countermeasures
• incidence prevalence

Information type

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• Empirical Findings: observational prevalence, crash risk outcomes
• Methodological Resource: dataset resource