The long-term performance of pavement structures is heavily reliant on the sustained load-carrying capacity of the subgrade soil. Under repetitive traffic loads, permanent deformation (PD) gradually accumulates in the subgrade due to plastic yielding and soil particle rearrangement, which can compromise the serviceability and durability of overlying pavement layers. This study aimed to enhance the understanding of compacted clay response under long-term cyclic loads through a systematic repeated load triaxial (RLT) testing approach. The proposed approach considered depth-dependent static and dynamic stresses exerted on compacted clay beneath pavement structures and traffic loads. A series of RLT tests were conducted to investigate the impact of key factors, including soil properties (moisture content and compaction degree), stress conditions (confining pressure and deviator stress), and load characteristics (load duration and rest period), on the PD behaviour of compacted clay subgrade. Stress-strain hysteresis loops and damping ratios were analyzed to enhance the fundamental understanding of subgrade PD evolution. The results showed that higher moisture content and lower compaction degree significantly increased PD, with the PD response transitioning from plastic shakedown to plastic creep. Greater deviator stress also exacerbated PD accumulation. Variations in loading duration and rest period influenced the PD behaviour, demonstrating the importance of accurately simulating the stress history experienced by subgrade soil elements under traffic loading. The findings provide valuable insights to optimize subgrade design and implement performance-based management of pavements.

The road network in Colombia, as reported by the National Roads Institute of Colombia (INVIAS), comprises a total of 206,708 kilometers, with 142,284 kilometers falling under the rural roads with low traffic volume network category. Sadly, an estimated of 96% of these roads are in poor condition. The primary reason behind this issue is the presence of subgrades that exhibit inadequate mechanical performance, largely due to the lack of proper stabilization methods. Moreover, these roads often serve as the sole access and exit routes for rural communities, significantly impacting their connectivity with nearby urban centers. Recognizing this critical issue, this article proposes the use of coal ash for subgrade stabilization during the construction of low-traffic-volume roads. The study conducted demonstrates that coal ash can enhance the mechanical properties of subgrades, leading to an increase in strength and load-bearing capacity. The improved mechanical properties are attributed to the binding and reactive characteristics displayed by the coal ashes, which greatly contribute to soil stabilization. To verify these claims, a series of physical, mechanical, and strength characterization tests were conducted on both natural and treated clayey sand samples obtained from a rural population in Colombia. The detailed analysis of the results shows an improvement in the mechanical properties of the soil due to the use of coal ash as a stabilizing agent.

Problematic ground conditions constituted by weak or expansive clays are commonly encountered in con-struction projects and require some form of chemical treatment such as lime and cement to re-engineer their performance. However, in the light of the adverse effects of these traditional additives on the climate, alternative eco-friendlier materials are now sourced. In the current study, the viability of calcinated wastepaper sludge ash geopolymer in enhancing the engineering behaviour of a problematic site condition is evaluated. A highly expansive clay (HEC) constituted with a blend of kaolinite and bentonite clays is treated with calcinated wastepaper sludge ash (CPSA) geopolymer. Activation of the precursor is actualised at room temperature using a combination of NaOH and Na2SiO3 at various activator to soil + binder ratios (AL/P), and molarity (M). The mechanical, microstructural, and mineralogical characteristics of the treated clay were investigated through unconfined compressive strength (UCS), swell, water absorption, SEM, and EDX analysis. The performance of the stabilised samples was then compared with the requirements for road subgrade and subbase materials and that of OPC and lime-GGBS treatment. The results showed that CPSA-geopolymer enhanced the engineering properties of the treated clay better than traditional binders (OPC and Iime-GGBS). UCS improvement of 220 % was observed in the CPSA-stabilised soil over that of OPC-treated ones, while the swell potential and water absorption were drastically reduced by over 95 and 97 % respectively after 28-day soaking. The SEM and EDX results showed improved crystallisation of earth-metal-based cementitious flakes (NASH) with increasing CPSA, molarity, and AL/P ratios, which enhanced the inter-particle bonds with simultaneous reduction in porosity. The modified characteristics of the stabilised materials meet the requirements for pavement subgrades. Further, the equivalent carbon emission (CO2-e) from the stabilised materials were also evaluated and compared with that of traditional binders. The results also showed that CPSA-geopolymer had lower CO2-e at higher subgrade strengths than OPC, making it more eco-friendly. Therefore, wastepaper sludge, a common landfill waste from paper recycling is a viable geopolymer precursor that could be utilised in enhancing the engineering properties of subgrade and sub-base materials for road and foundation construction.