Enhancing the strength of Indian desert sand using gum and starch biopolymers

Abstract

This study introduces an innovative approach, utilizing the ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) test, to assess the strength of desert sand samples treated with biopolymers, including various combinations of pore volumes (PV) and biopolymer concentrations. Consequently, unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and split tensile strength (STS) tests were performed on the treated desert sand to gauge the effectiveness of different biopolymers, specifically Starch and Gum varieties. The objective of this research is to highlight the significance of biopolymers as environment pleasant solution for enhancing the mechanical qualities of desert sand. The study incorporates five different biopolymers, including Corn starch (CS), Potato starch (PS), Tapioca starch (TS), Xanthan Gum (XG), and Guar Gum (GG) in varying concentrations (1%, 2%, and 3%), and two distinct pore volumes, 1PV and 0.75PV. The outcomes of UCS, UPV, and STS tests demonstrated that the strength of the sand increases as the biopolymer interacts with it up to a certain concentration. XG exhibited superior performance compared to GG, while among the starches, CS delivered the best results. Moreover, the study finds that pore volume plays an important role when interacting with sand. It was found that the 0.75 PV performs better than the 1 PV. The highest recorded UCS value was 891 kPa for the 3% CS treatment with 0.75 PV, whereas the lowest UCS value was 135 kPa for the 3% PS treatment with 1 PV. Likewise, the maximum STS value was 201 kPa for the 3% XG treatment with 0.75 PV, while the minimum STS value was 31 kPa for the 3% PS treatment with 1 PV. Furthermore, the minimum and maximum values from the UPV test were 798 m/s and 1270 m/s, respectively, which showed that all samples have strength. SEM and EDX tests for microstructure analysis have been performed to show bonding among particles. © 2025 Techno-Press, Ltd.