Civil and Project journal

Experimental investigation of the effect of using nanosilica, nanotitanium and nano aluminum oxide on the geotechnical behavior of collapsible soils.

https://doi.org/10.22034/cpj.2025.550219.1404
Volume 7, Issue 11 - Serial Number 81
February 2026
Pages 49-74
Civil and Project journal

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Zahra Sasannejad 1
Ebrahim Nohani 2
Hamidreza Holakoei 3

1 M.Sc. in Civil Engineering – Geotechnical Engineerin, Jahad University Khuzestan, Ahvaz, Iran.

2 Department of Civil Engineering, Materials and Energy Research Center, Dez.C.,Islamic Azad University, Dezful, Iran

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, ACECR Khouzestan Institute of Higher Education, Ahvaz, Iran

Abstract
The aim of the present study is to investigate the laboratory effect of using three types of nanomaterials including nanosilica, nanoaluminum and nanotitanium on the geotechnical parameters of subsidence soils. To investigate the effects of using these nanomaterials, the interpretation of the results of direct shear tests and a specific type of appropriate consolidation test of subsidence soils was used. To conduct the tests, subsidence soil available at a site in Ahvaz-Hoveyzeh was used, for which minimal information such as its natural specific gravity was previously available, and this point was used as a basic indicator in the reconstruction of the test specimens. The test results show that all three nanomaterial models reduce subsidence compared to the control sample (with a subsidence potential of 21.59%). All three models of improvement with nanomaterials transferred the rupture (with different mechanisms) to higher levels, in the case of nanosilica with an increase in the internal friction angle (from 24.3 to 30 degrees in the maximum case) and nanotitanium with an increase in adhesion (from 0.13 to 0.43 kg/cm2 in the maximum case). Finally, by selecting several criteria and giving specific scores, the 1.5% nanotitanium scenario was selected as the most optimal technical-economic combination with a 56% reduction in the collapse potential, also in this scenario the internal friction angle decreased by 27% and the drained adhesion increased by 300%. In fact, it seems that the 1.5% nanotitanium scenario, due to the size of the nano particles, improved the initial locking of the soil particles, although it had the opposite effect on the sliding and friction of the particles on each other.

Keywords

Soil compaction
nanomaterials
compaction potential
optimal composition
Subjects

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  • Receive Date 30 August 2025
  • Revise Date 23 July 2025
  • Accept Date 02 October 2025
  • First Publish Date 02 October 2025
  • Publish Date 21 January 2026

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