Peat Stabilization by Using Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) Mixed with Rice Husk Ash (RHA)

Peat generally consists of high organic and water content that causes the strength of peat soil to be very weak to bear any load. The strength of the soil can be increased by using binders like cement in peat soil stabilization techniques, but excessive cement use can pollute the ecosystem. This study aimed to determine the ideal proportion of rice husk ash (RHA) to be utilized in place of cement. A test of the basic characteristics of peat soil is carried out in order to identify the nature of peat soil. The strength of treated and untreated peat soil was determined through an unconfined compression test (UCS). By replacement at 15%, the result shows the replacement of 15% RHA in Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) demonstrates the maximum strength with the value of 531 kN/m2 and 580 kN/m2 for 7 and 28 curing days respectively. The microstructure image shows the difference in total porosity between the untreated and treated samples through the Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) test. A chemical test via Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) shows that the strength of samples improves when the amount of carbon reduces and calcium content increases. The findings illustrate that the utilization of discarded agricultural waste can be used as an additive in reducing the consumption of cement to increase the strength of peat based on soil stabilization techniques.