STABILIZATION OF LATERITIC SOIL WITH PAWPAW LEAF ASH (CARICA PAPAYA LEAVES ASH)

This study investigated the geotechnical properties of lateritic soil stabilized with carica papaya leaves ash. The natural soil sample was gotten behind Adesoye hall, Federal Polytechnic Offa Kwara State, and was subjected to preliminary soil tests such as sieve analysis, natural moisture content, specific gravity, Atterberg Limit, Compaction and CBR. Also the carica papaya leaf was gotten from Offa here and prepared for ashes and also was carried to laboratory to test for the chemical composition. At first when the chemical composition was done with the aid of X-ray fluorescence (XRF), it shows that Na2O has a weight of 0.47% and SiO2 has a weight of 54.65% which is the highest. The results revealed the cumulative percentage passing through each sieve size, providing insights into the soil gradation and engineering properties. The results of the moisture content shows that the initial weight of the sample was 213g and the final weight of the sample was 180g. The results of the specific gravity test reveal the impact of Carica papaya leaf ash on the density of lateritic soil, at 0% it was 2.66 and reduces as the percentage of ash increases. With the addition of Caricapapaya leaf ash, there is noticeable change in the specific gravity values This change indicates alterations in the mass per unit volume of the soil-carica papaya leaf ash mixtures. The Atterberg limits test provides essential insights into soil behavior, informing soil classification, foundation design, and slope stability assessments in engineering practice. Adjustments in construction methods or soil stabilization techniques may be necessary based on test results. The compaction test provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of Carica papaya leaf ash in stabilizing lateritic soil, highlighting its potential for use in road construction, embankment construction, and other civil engineering projects in regions where lateritic soils are prevalent. The CBR test findings demonstrate the effectiveness of carica papaya ash in stabilizing lateritic soil, offering potential benefits such as increased bearing capacity and reduced susceptibility to rutting and deformation. in stabilizing lateritic soil, offering potential benefits such as increased bearing capacity and reduced susceptibility to rutting and deformation.