EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION INTO THE UNCONFINED COMPRESSION STRENGTH OF SILT TREATED WITH XANTHAN GUM

Xunan Li; Xiang Zhou; Michael Adeyemi

doi:10.17222/mit.2026.1686

Xunan Li School of Civil Engineering, Xijing University, Xian, Shaanxi Province, China
Xiang Zhou School of Civil Engineering, Xijing University, Xian, Shaanxi Province, China https://orcid.org/0009-0009-5305-353X
Michael Adeyemi School of Civil Engineering, Changsha University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China https://orcid.org/0009-0000-1279-3819

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17222/mit.2026.1686

Keywords: silt, xanthan gum, dosage, unconfined compression test

Abstract

To address the engineering challenges of low strength and poor water stability in low liquid limit silt, this study investigated the improvement effect and reinforcement mechanism of xanthan gum through laboratory experiments. Unconfined compression tests were conducted on specimens with seven xanthan gum dosages ranging from 0 to 3.0 % at 0.5 % increments. Scanning electron microscopy was employed to observe microstructural changes. The results indicated that xanthan gum significantly enhanced the unconfined compressive strength of low liquid limit silt. A strong exponential relationship was observed between strength and xanthan gum dosage with a coefficient of determination of 0.98, and the reinforcement effect approached saturation beyond a dosage of 2.0 %. After modification, the stress-strain response of the silt improved, with increased tangent modulus and reduced strain at peak stress, demonstrating enhanced deformation resistance and load-bearing capacity. The reinforcement mechanism involved dual effects of pore filling and cementation, where the hydrated gel filled interparticle voids and bonded loose particles, thereby strengthening the soil skeleton. This study provided a theoretical basis and technical reference for environmentally friendly and efficient improvement of low liquid limit silt.

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