REVIEW ON IMPROVISING RED SOIL’S GEOTECHNICAL PERFORMANCE WITH POLYPROPYLENE AND GYPSUM by IRJET Journal

International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056

Volume: 13 Issue: 03 | Mar 2026 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072

REVIEW ON IMPROVISING RED SOIL’S GEOTECHNICAL PERFORMANCE WITH POLYPROPYLENE

AND GYPSUM

1Sikander Kumar, 2Md. Shariq, 3 Karan Sahani, 4 Kamil Ulla Khan, 5 Ujjwal Mishra, 6 Harshit dixit

1,2 Assistant Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Axis Institute of Technology and Management, Rooma, Kanpur, India

3,4,5,6 U.G. Student, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Axis Institute of Technology and Management, Rooma, Kanpur, India *** -

Abstract - In civil engineering, the foundation is critical for any land base construction and must be able to withstand the incoming loads without failing. In some areas, the soil may be poor and unable to withstand the incoming stresses. Soil stabilization is required in such circumstances. Red soil covers 10.6% of the Indian geographical area. The color of red soil is due to a high percentage of iron in the soil. Red soil is used in this research. In this research an attempt to study various geotechnical properties and improved the red soil properties by adding different percentages of polypropylene and gypsum.

In this study red soil is collected and transported from the district of Rath in Uttar Pradesh. For this study we take polypropyleneas1%,1.5%,2%andconstant5%of added Gypsum to the soil.

Key Words: Soil stabilization, Red soil, polypropylene, Gypsum, CBR etc.

1.INTRODUCTION

Soil stabilization is a process that alters and improves the engineering properties of the soil in order to make it more suitable for building. Soil stabilization is a civil engineering technique for refining and improving soil engineering properties including mechanical strength, permeability, compressibility,hardness,andplasticity.Thebasesoilservesasthe foundationforanyconstructionproject,forahouse,aroad,oranairport.Furthermore,soilisanessentialbuildingmaterial tostandanystructure.Asaresult,soilshouldhavepropertiesthatenableittoformasolidbase.

Soil stabilization is a common practice in the construction of airfields, parking lots, landfills, embankments, highways and foundations,waterwaymaintenance,agriculture,andminingsites.

Soil stabilization is a critical component of various civil engineering projects. Without removing the entire soil, the most effective technique is to use appropriate accessible. methods and materials to enhance the soil qualities. As a result, soil stabilization is thought to be the best strategy for improving soil geotechnical parameters. Chemical additives, thermal energy, compaction, and plant-based or syntheticFiber reinforcing are all common stabilization approaches. Straw, coir, palm, sisal, and jute are examples of plant-based fiber reinforcement materials that are inexpensive. Synthetic fiber reinforcingmaterials,suchaspolypropylene,nylon,rubber,orplastic,canalsohelpreducewaste.Researchintotheuseof waste materials to stabilize soil is currently a global trend, as surplus waste materials pose public safety and logistical issuesintermsofdisposal

2.MATERIAL

USED

Inthisstudy,thefollowingmaterialswereused:

i)RedSoil

ii)Polypropylene

iii)Gypsum

2.1 RED SOIL

ThesoilsampleforthisstudywastakeninthedistrictofRathinUttarPradesh.Theearthisabright crimsoncolor.Redsoil isatypeofsoilthatformsinwarmtemperaturesandiscommonindampclimateswithdeciduousormixedwoods.Thered soil'stexturerangesfromsandytoclay,withloamaccountingforthemajorityofit.

International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056

Volume: 13 Issue: 03 | Mar 2026 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072

Table -1: Geotechnicalpropertiesofredsoil

2.2POLYPROPLYENE

Angle of internal friction (Φ) 14

Polypropylene's starting material is nonnumeric C3H6, a completely hydrocarbon compound. Polypropylene fibers have particularlybeneficialqualitiesduetotheirformofpolymerization,highmolecularweight,andthewaytheyareprocessed into fibers. Polypropylene fiber is a single fiber with a diameter of 0.034mm and comes in lengths of 6mm, 12mm, and 20mm.

Table - 2: Characteristics of Polypropylene

Tensile Strength 550-700MPa

Percentage Elongation at failure

Modulus of Elasticity (E) 3.5-6.8GN/m2

Thermal Conductivity 6(withairas1)

Melting Point 165oC

Softening Point 140oC

Alkali Resistance Low

2.3 Gypsum

Gypsumpowderischemicallyknownascalciumsulfatedihydrate(CaSO₄·2H₂O),meaningitcontainscalcium,sulfur,oxygen, and water molecules. Gypsum is a widely used building material that comprises 70% CaSO4 and can be utilized in the construction of buildings. In terms of chemistry, gypsum is a calcium sulphate that contains two molecules of water, or CaSO4,2H20.Itisacrystallinematerialthatdissolvesinweakhydrochloricacidandwaterwithverylittledifficulty,butnot insulfuricacid.Itismadeupof20.9%waterand79.1%calciumsulphate.

International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056

Volume: 13 Issue: 03 | Mar 2026 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072

3. Literature Review

T.N Dave et.al (2020)

Theuseofpolypropylenefires(PPF)forthestabilizationofexpansivesoilobtainedfromDedicatedFreightCorridor(DFC) projectsiteBhestannearSurat.Inthisresearch.PPFhasbeenmixedwithsoilinproportionsof0.75%,1.5%,2.0%,2.25%, and2.5%.

Tharini et.al (2020)

The laboratory conducted for study the performance on Black cotton soil reinforced with polypropylene fiber mixed at 0.2%, 0.3%, 0.4%, and 0.5%. The soil was gathered near PSNA College of Engineering and Technology, Dindigul, Tamil Naidu,IndiaPetry&Little(2002).

Thomas M. Petry and Dallas N. Little (2022)

Reviewed 60 years of research on expansive clay soils. These soils swell and shrink with moisture changes, causing structuraldamage.Thepapersummarizeskeyadvances,currentstabilizationpractices,andfutureresearchdirections.

Amiri, Kalantari & Porhonar (2023):

Mohammad Amiri, BehzadKalantari,andFatemehPorhonar(2023)studiedhow heating red soil (100–900 °C) changes its structure and strength. New minerals like mullite and anorthite formed, increasing strength up to 20 times, showing thermaltreatmentimprovessoilpropertiesforconstruction.

Singh & Kumar (2023)

Gypsum-Stabilized Low Plasticity Soils In their 2023 study, Singh & Kumar investigated the influence of gypsum stabilizationonlowplasticitysoils,includingredsoilswith similarproperties.Theyfoundthattheadditionofgypsumled to a reduction in Atterberg limits, indicating reduced plasticity and improved workability. The chemical interaction between calcium from gypsum and the soil particles resulted in enhanced aggregation and slightly increased strength valuesinCompactionandCaliforniaBearingRatio(CBR)tests.Whiletheeffectwasmorepronouncedinsoilswithhigher claycontent,thestudydemonstratedthatgypsumisapromisingstabilizerforsoilsexhibiting poorengineeringbehavior, particularlyinregionswheretraditionalstabilizerslikelimeorcementareexpensiveorunavailable.

Ahmed & Islam (2024)

Combined Effects of Fibers and Chemical Stabilizers Ahmed and Islam (2024) conducted a comparative study on the combined effects of polymeric fibers and chemical stabilizers (including gypsum and lime) on expansive soils. They reported that when polymer fibers were used together with gypsum, there was a significant improvement in strength, stiffness, and resilience to moisture changes compared to using either additive alone. The fibers provided mechanical reinforcement, while gypsum improved particle bonding and reduced swelling potential. The combined stabilization techniqueshowedimprovedperformanceinswellingpotentialtests,suggestingthatcompositestabilizationcaneffectively addressbothstrengthandvolumetricinstabilityproblemsinproblematicsoilssimilartoredsoils.

Purohit et al. (2025)

Red Soil Stabilization Using Waste Plastic Additives Purohit et al. (2025) investigated the use of waste plastic materials (includingpolypropylenewastestrips)inthestabilizationofredsoils,withanemphasisonenvironmentalsustainability. Theirworkdemonstratedthatinclusionofwasteplasticimprovedtensilestrengthandductilityandreducedtheformation ofcracksduringdryingandwettingcycles.Inadditiontobenefitsinmechanicalbehavior,theuseofwaste plastic helped reduce the environmental burden of plastic disposal. Coupled with gypsum treatment, the composite approach was found to enhance soil performance significantly more than either additive used alone. This study provides important evidenceforenvironmentallyconsciousstabilizationtechniquessuitableforregions withabundantredsoil.

4. METHODOLOGY

The red soil used in this study was collected from a local site, air-dried, pulverized, and sieved to remove impurities. Polypropylenefibersandpowderedgypsumwereusedasreinforcementand stabilizingagents,respectively,andaddedto the soil in varying proportions by dry weight. The soil–gypsum mixture was first blended uniformly, followed by the gradual addition of polypropylene fibers to ensure proper dispersion. Water corresponding to the optimum moisture content was then added, and specimens were prepared at maximum dry density. Laboratory tests including Atterberg

International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056

Volume: 13 Issue: 03 | Mar 2026 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072

limits, Standard Proctor compaction, unconfined compressive strength (UCS), and California Bearing Ratio (CBR) were conductedon bothuntreatedandtreated soilsamplesasperrelevantIndian Standardcodes.UCSspecimens werecured for7,14,and28daystostudystrength development.Theresultswereanalyzedandcomparedwiththoseofnaturalred soil to evaluate the improvement in geotechnical performance due to the combined use of polypropylene fibers and gypsum.

5. CONCLUSION

The use of polypropylene fibersand gypsumsignificantlyimproves the engineering propertiesof red soil. Polypropylene fibers enhance tensile strength, ductility, and resistance to cracking, while gypsum reduces plasticity and increases strength through improved particle bonding. The combined stabilization of red soil with polypropylene and gypsum results in better compaction characteristics, increased CBR and UCS values, and overall improved load-bearing capacity. This method offers a cost-effective and sustainable solution for using red soil in pavement subgrades and foundation applications,providedthatoptimumproportionsofadditivesareused.

6. REFERENCE

1. Kumar, R. & Gupta, A. (2021). Experimental investigation on improvement of red soil using polypropylene fiber reinforcement.InternationalJournalofGeotechnicalEngineering,15(4),521–531.

2. Patel, D. S., Shah, M. P., & Joshi, H. B. (2020). Effect of gypsum as a stabilizing agent on engineering properties of clayeysoils.JournalofMaterialsinCivilEngineering,32(7),04020109.

3. Reddy, K. R. & Rao, B. H. (2023). Durability response of fiber-reinforced soils subjected to cyclic moisture variations.SoilsandFoundations,63(1),87–95.

4. Zhao, Y., Li, J., & Zhang, X. (2022). Performance enhancement of expansive soils treated with polymeric fibers: A comprehensivereview.AppliedClayScience,215,106339.

5. Lee, S. J. & Park, S. H. (2024). Synergistic effects of chemical stabilizers and fiber reinforcement in low- strength soils.ConstructionandBuildingMaterials,391,131245.

6. Sangeetha,S.P.Stabilizationofredsoilusingpolypropylenefibers(experimentalstudy).Available fromResearch Gate(studiesshowingimprovementingeotechnicalpropertieswithpolypropylene).

7. Anti-disintegrationpropertyofredsoiltreatedwithbuildinggypsumpowder,ConstructionandBuildingMaterials, 2025.Reportsincreasedresistancetomoisture-induceddisintegrationingypsum-treatedredsoil.

8. Soil stabilization with gypsum: A review, Soils and Foundations / Digital Commons, (2024). A systematic review showinggypsum’seffectsonUCS,CBR,swellingpotential,anddurabilityofsoilsincludingclayeytypes.

9. Improvement of geotechnical properties of red soil using waste plastic strips, International Journal of Emerging TechnologyandEngineering(IJETT)(2024).Evaluatesplasticwasteinclusioninredsoilstabilization

10. Performance enhancement of red soils and expansive soils with recycled polypropylene fibers, Sustainable Geotechnics(2025).Showsimprovedstrengthandductilitywithrecycledpolypropylenereinforcement.

11. Enhancing clay soil’s geotechnical properties using sintered gypsum and cement, Applied Sciences (2022). Discussesgypsum’sroleinstrengthandstiffnessimprovementwhencombinedwithbinders(canbereferencedfor gypsummechanisms).

12. A review on improving key engineering properties of lateritic/red soils with industrial by-products, Construction and Building Materials (2025). Reviews stabilization methods including industrial wastes and by-products (good forliteraturereviewbacking).