Saudi Journal of Civil Engineering (SJCE)
Volume-10 | Issue-09 | 101-119
Original Research Article
Chemical, Physicochemical and Engineering Characterization of Agro-Industrial Waste Pozzolans for Laterite Soil Stabilization
AKINBULUMA, Ayodeji Theophilus, Ibrahim Tunde Yusuf, Elijah Olawale Ajala
Published : Sept. 12, 2026
Abstract
Laterite soils widely used in tropical road construction often exhibit high plasticity and inadequate engineering performance. This creates the need for locally available and environmentally sustainable stabilizing materials. This study evaluated the chemical, physicochemical and engineering characteristics of six agro-industrial waste pozzolans such as palm oil fuel ash (POFA), palm oil clinker powder (POCP), corn cob ash (CCA), coal bottom ash (CBA), rice husk ash (RHA) and fly ash (FA), for lateritic soil stabilization. Soil-pozzolan mixtures containing 0 to 10% additive was investigated using XRF, CEC, physicochemical and geotechnical tests. Atterberg limits, compaction, permeability, CBR, UCS and shear-strength analysis were carried out on the samples coupled with statistical analysis. The laterite soil contained 40.25% Fe₂O₃, 31.79% SiO₂ and 25.43% Al₂O₃, but only 0.26% CaO, indicating limited intrinsic cementitious potential. Combined SiO₂+Al₂O₃+Fe₂O₃ contents ranged from 36.69% in CCA to 91.08% in RHA. This confirms substantial chemical diversity. CCA and CBA produced the strongest statistical relationships, with R² of 99.69% and 99.49%, respectively, while their regression effects were significant at p<0.05. The study concludes that stabilization effectiveness depends on the interaction between pozzolan chemistry, physicochemical characteristics and dosage rather than oxide content alone. It is recommended that CCA and CBA receive further field-scale evaluation and that future studies employ larger datasets, longer curing periods and independent validation to establish reliable performance-based design criteria.