20.500.12556/DKUM-98940 Investigation of the use of in situ material by geopolymerization method in stabilization of ordinary clay soils Certain clayey soils are susceptible to swelling and shrinkage due to moisture variations, which can lead to ground deformation and structural damage. Although traditional stabilization methods using lime and cement are effective, they involve high energy consumption and significant CO2 emissions. In response to sustainability concerns, this study investigates the potential of in situ geopolymer stabilization of clay soils using industrial by-products as eco-friendly binders. Experimental studies were conducted on clay specimens stabilized with geopolymer binders produced from fly ash and waste brick powder activated by alkaline solutions. The selected clay exhibited stiff to very stiff behavior and was used as a reference material to ensure reliable evaluation without the influence of severe initial degradation. Reference samples with identical water content but without alkaline activation were also prepared. The primary objective was to assess geopolymers as a sustainable alternative to conventional binders, focusing on moisture sensitivity and long-term mechanical performance. Laboratory strength tests demonstrated that geopolymer-treated specimens exhibited significantly higher strength compared to untreated samples, indicating substantial improvement in engineering properties. Furthermore, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analyses revealed that the combination of dual activators (NS+NH) and thermal curing at 85 °C transformed the weak clay matrix into a dense, fibrous geopolymer network. However, the high curing temperature was primarily used to study the reaction mechanisms; the practical applicability of the method should be evaluated based on results obtained at ambient temperature. This structure enhanced particle bonding and mechanical interlocking by filling voids within the matrix. Overall, the findings confirm that geopolymer stabilization using industrial waste materials is an effective and environmentally sustainable alternative to conventional soil stabilization techniques, contributing to reduced carbon emissions in geotechnical engineering. geopolymerization ordinary soil stabilization in situ material waste brick powder fly ash geopolimerizacija običajna stabilizacija tal odpadni opečni prah elektrofiltrski pepel trajnostnost krožno gospodarstvo true false true MDPI Angleški jezik Slovenski jezik https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci Članek v reviji 2026-07-20 14:22:26 2026-07-20 14:22:28 2026-07-21 03:10:01 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2026 0 0 31 str. issue 9, [article no.] 4290 Vol. 16 May 2026 0000-00-00 Zaloznikova Objavljeno NiDoloceno 2026-04-06 2026-04-21 2026-04-28 69:502.131.1 285026051 10.3390/app16094290 2076-3417 applsci-16-04290.pdf applsci-16-04290.pdf 1 670FBE2887938BFECA1B4580C75B4063 6ff3b7a9aff5e2d2d318a2a01772a1c6274a9f9805ac9cd8c6c1b8ddad3c867a ddc06589-8435-11f1-a07d-00155d580e34 https://dk.um.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=208423 https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/16/9/4290 1 acb5b985-8435-11f1-a07d-00155d580e34 https://dk.um.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=208422 Fakulteta za gradbeništvo, prometno inženirstvo in arhitekturo 0 0 0