Description:BACKGROUND
Field of Invention
[001] Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to strengthening soil and particularly to a method for enhancing soil density using a design of experiment approach.
Description of Related Art
[002] Vertisol, commonly known as cotton soil, thrives in tropical and subtropical regions, boasting vital nutrients like calcium, potash, and iron. However, it often lacks phosphorus, nitrogen, and organic matter, affecting its fertility in upland areas. The high clay content hampers root development and can limit crop yields.
[003] This soil's strength is compromised by significant shrinkage, swelling, and hardening when dry. Managing its unpredictability, especially regarding moisture levels, is pivotal. Effective strategies, such as adding organic matter and optimizing irrigation, are vital to harness its agricultural benefits. However, existing methods to improve the strength of soil have limitations, notably in terms of cost. Soil stabilization techniques, such as the addition of specific chemicals or extensive mechanical processes, can contribute to soil pollution and may not be economically viable, especially for smaller-scale projects or regions with limited resources. Additionally, soil stabilization processes often necessitate curing and testing, causing delays in construction schedules, and making them less suitable for projects with tight timelines.
[004] Furthermore, the use of stabilizing agents, especially chemical additives, raises environmental concerns by introducing non-environmentally friendly chemicals into the soil. Some soils do not respond well to stabilization methods, leading to limited achievable improvement in strength. This limitation is a significant drawback when dealing with particularly challenging soils.
[005] There is thus a need for an improved and advanced method for enhancing soil density that can administer the abovementioned limitations in a more efficient manner.
SUMMARY
[006] Embodiments in accordance with the present invention provide a method for enhancing soil density using a Design of Experiments (DOE) approach. The method comprising a step of: designing a set of variable proportions ranging from 0.5% to 3% of a plant-based additive using the Design of Experiments (DOE) approach; mixing the raw soil with the designed variable proportions of the plant-based additive selected from a lignosulphonate; conducting a standard compaction test for each of the variable proportions of the soil mixed with the plant-based additive; analyzing results of the standard compaction test for each of the variable proportions of soil mixed with the plant-based additive; and determining an optimum percentage of the plant-based additive required to attain maximum soil density through the Design of Experiments (DOE) approach.
[007] Embodiments of the present invention may provide several advantages depending on configuration. First, embodiments of the present application may provide a method for enhancing soil density.
[008] Next, embodiments of the present application may provide a method for enhancing soil density that is easily reproducible.
[009] Next, embodiments of the present application may provide a method for enhancing soil density that prevents soil degradation and promotes soil stability.
[0010] Next, embodiments of the present application may provide a method for enhancing soil density that increases a compressive strength of the soil.
[0011] Next, embodiments of the present application may provide a method for enhancing soil density that increases a shear strength.
[0012] These and other advantages will be apparent from the present application of the embodiments described herein.
[0013] The preceding is a simplified summary to provide an understanding of some embodiments of the present invention. This summary is neither an extensive nor exhaustive overview of the present invention and its various embodiments. The summary presents selected concepts of the embodiments of the present invention in a simplified form as an introduction to the more detailed description presented below. As will be appreciated, other embodiments of the present invention are possible by utilizing, alone or in combination, one or more of the features set forth above or described in detail below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] The above and still further features and advantages of embodiments of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of embodiments thereof, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and wherein:
[0015] FIG. 1 depicts a plant-based additive, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of components used for enhancing soil density, according to an embodiment of the present invention; and
[0017] FIG. 3 depicts a flowchart of a method for enhancing soil density using the plant-based additive, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0018] The headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not meant to be used to limit the scope of the description or the claims. As used throughout this application, the word "may" is used in a permissive sense (i.e., meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). Similarly, the words “include”, “including”, and “includes” mean including but not limited to. To facilitate understanding, like reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate like elements common to the figures. Optional portions of the figures may be illustrated using dashed or dotted lines, unless the context of usage indicates otherwise.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0019] The following description includes the preferred best mode of one embodiment of the present invention. It will be clear from this description of the invention that the invention is not limited to these illustrated embodiments but that the invention also includes a variety of modifications and embodiments thereto. Therefore, the present description should be seen as illustrative and not limiting. While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, it should be understood, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.
[0020] In any embodiment described herein, the open-ended terms "comprising", "comprises”, and the like (which are synonymous with "including", "having” and "characterized by") may be replaced by the respective partially closed phrases "consisting essentially of", “consists essentially of", and the like or the respective closed phrases "consisting of", "consists of”, the like.
[0021] As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” designate both the singular and the plural, unless expressly stated to designate the singular only.
[0022] FIG. 1 depicts a plant-based additive 100, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The plant-based additive 100 may be a Lignosulphonate. In an embodiment of the present invention, a type of the Lignosulphonate may be, but not limited to, a sodium lignosulfonate, a magnesium lignosulfonate, a calcium lignosulfonate, an ammonium lignosulfonates, and so forth. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type the Lignosulphonate, including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.
[0023] In an embodiment of the present invention, the Lignosulphonate may be derived from a plant source. In another embodiment of the present invention, the Lignosulphonate may be derived using methods such as but not limited to, a traditional sulfite pulping, a modified sulfite pulping, and so forth. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the method used to obtain the Lignosulphonate, including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.
[0024] In an embodiment of the present invention, the Lignosulphonate may be utilized in a form such as, but not limited to, a powder, granules, a liquid solution, a semi liquid solution, and so forth. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any form of the Lignosulphonate, including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.
[0025] In an embodiment of the present invention, the Lignosulphonate may be added and mixed in variable proportions in raw soil. In an embodiment of the present invention, a set of the variable proportions of the plant-based additive 100 may be designed using the Design of Experiments (DOE) approach. In an embodiment of the present invention, the addition of Lignosulphonate to the raw soil may be optimized through the systematic Design of Experiments (DOE) approach. In this approach, the selection of distinct proportions may be ranging from 0.5% to 3%. The Design of Experiments (DOE) approach may involve determining an optimum percentage of the plant-based additive 100 based on achieving a maximum soil density with the least moisture content. The DOE approach may further guide an assignment of these proportions into experimental runs, ensuring a comprehensive exploration of the additive's effects on the soil. By conducting controlled experiments, accurately measuring outcomes like soil density and moisture content, and employing statistical analyses, the impact of the variable proportions of the Lignosulphonate on soil characteristics may be thoroughly assessed.
[0026] The variable proportions of the Lignosulphonate may be in a range of 0.5 percentage (%) to 5 percentage (%) of the proportionate amount of dry weight of the soil, in an embodiment of the present invention. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the proportion of the Lignosulphonate may be 5%.
[0027] In an embodiment of the present invention, the raw soil may be obtained in a proportionate amount. In an embodiment of the present invention, the sample of the soil may be obtained from a specified source. In an embodiment of the present invention, the specified source to obtain the soil may be, but not limited to, a semi-arid region, a poor drainage area, a good drainage area, a wet area, a dry land, and so forth. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any source from where the soil may be obtained, including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies. In an embodiment of the present invention, a type of the soil may be, but not limited to, a hardpan black cotton soil, a fertile black cotton soil, a saline black cotton soil, and so forth. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the soil, including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.
[0028] FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of components 200 used for enhancing the soil density, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The components 200 used to improve and evaluate the strength of the soil may be, a mould 202, a mixing apparatus 204, a curing apparatus 206, and a sensor 208.
[0029] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the mould 202 may be configured to conduct a standard compaction test of the soil mixed with the variable proportions of the Lignosulphonate. In an embodiment of the present invention, the standard compaction test may determine a dry density and a moisture content of the soil. In an embodiment of the present invention, the dry density and the moisture content of the soil may be determined to establish a baseline for subsequent improvements in the strength of the black cotton soil. In an embodiment of the present invention, an internal diameter of the mould 202 may be in a range of 8 centimeter (cm) diameter to 15 cm. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a compaction test may be conducted using the mould 202 with the internal diameter of 10.2 cm and a height of 11.6 cm.
[0030] In an embodiment of the present invention, the mould 202 used for compaction may be cleaned and prepared to prevent contamination and maintain an integrity of the compacted soil during testing. In an embodiment of the present invention, the mould 202 may be, but not limited to, a two-plate mould, a three-plate mould, a multilevel injection mould, and so forth. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the mould 202, including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.
[0031] In an embodiment of the present invention, the mixing apparatus 204 may be configured to mix the variable proportions of the Lignosulphonate with the compacted soil. In an embodiment of the present invention, the mixing apparatus 204 may be, a hand blender, a mixer, a stirrer, a spoon, and so forth. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the mixing apparatus 204, including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.
[0032] In an embodiment of the present invention, the mixing of the variable proportions of the Lignosulphonate with the compacted soil may be conducted using methods such as, but not limited to, a hand mixing pattern, a machine based mixing, a blending mixing pattern, a conventional missing pattern, and so forth. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mixing method is a normal hand mixing. In an embodiment of the present invention, the normal hand mixing of the Lignosulphonate with the compacted soil involves mechanical agitation to uniformly distribute the Lignosulphonate throughout the soil. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the methods used for the mixing, including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.
[0033] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the curing apparatus 206 may be configured to allow the mixed soil and the Lignosulphonate to cure for a specified curing duration. The soil mixed with the Lignosulphonate may be subjected to the curing apparatus 206 to allow the soil mixed with the Lignosulphonate to cure for the specified curing duration before the compaction test.
[0034] In an embodiment of the present invention, the specified curing duration may be in range from 24 hours to 48 hours. In an embodiment of the present invention, the curing may be allowed at an ambient temperature for optimal interaction between the Lignosulphonate and the raw soil. In an embodiment of the present invention, the curing apparatus 206 may be, but not limited to, a curing chamber, a container, a plate, and so forth. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the curing apparatus 206, including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.
[0035] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the sensor 208 may be configured to detect the moisture content of the soil mixed with the Lignosulphonate. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the sensor 208, including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.
[0036] FIG. 3 depicts a flowchart of a method 300 for enhancing soil density using the Design of Experiments (DOE) approach.
[0037] At step 302, the set of the variable proportions ranging from 0.5% to 3% of the plant-based additive 100 may be designed using the Design of Experiments (DOE) approach.
[0038] At step 304, the raw soil may be mixed with the designed variable proportions of the plant-based additive 100.
[0039] At step 306, the standard compaction test for each of the variable proportions of the soil may be mixed with the plant-based additive 100;
[0040] At step 308, the results of the standard compaction test may be analyzed for each of the variable proportions of the soil mixed with the plant-based additive 100.
[0041] At step 310, the optimum percentage of the plant-based additive 100 required may be determined to attain maximum soil density based on the Design of Experiments (DOE) approach.
[0042] While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and various embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the scope of the appended claims.
[0043] This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined in the claims and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements within substantial differences from the literal languages of the claims. , Claims:CLAIMS
I/We Claim:
1. A method (300) for enhancing soil density using a Design of Experiments (DOE) approach, the method (300) comprising steps characterized by:
designing a set of variable proportions of a plant-based additive (100) using the Design of Experiments (DOE) approach;
mixing the raw soil with the designed variable proportions of the plant-based additive (100) selected from a lignosulphonate;
conducting a standard compaction test for each of the variable proportions of the soil mixed with the plant-based additive (100);
analyzing results of the standard compaction test for each of the variable proportions of the soil mixed with the plant-based additive (100); and
determining an optimum percentage of the plant-based additive (100) required to attain maximum soil density based on the Design of Experiments (DOE) approach.
2. The method (300) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the raw soil is Black Cotton soil.
3. The method (300) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the standard compaction test is conducted using a mold (202) with an internal diameter of 10.2 centimeters (cm) and a height of 11.6 centimeters (cm).
4. The method (300) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plant-based additive (100) is added to the raw soil through normal hand mixing.

5. The method (300) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the optimal proportion of the plant-based additive (100) is determined based on achieving maximum soil density.
6. The method (300) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the raw soil is mixed with the plant-based additive (100) using a mixing apparatus (204).
7. The method (300) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the soil mixed with the plant-based additive (100) is subjected to a curing apparatus (206) to allow the soil mixed with the plant-based additive (100) to cure for a specified duration before the compaction test.
8. The method (300) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the design of experiments (DOE) approach involves determining an optimum percentage of the plant-based additive (100) based on achieving a maximum soil density with a least moisture content.

Date: October 26, 2023
Place: Noida

Nainsi Rastogi
Patent Agent (IN/PA-2372)
Agent for the Applicant