Polymer soil stabilization with cement production, which can be as high as 1.25 tons of carbon dioxide per ton of cement. Polymer treatments modify the size, shape, and cohesion of soil aggregates by changing the interactions between soil particles. Because polymer-soil interactions occur on the surfaces of soil particles, the amount of surface area in the soil (in other words, its dominant particle size) is of great importance. Polymers have only weak interactions with the large sand- and silt-sized particles of soil, while they bond directly to finer clays. Although polymers mainly interact with the clay fraction of soils, they do change the
Dilatancy (granular material) so coarse and thus may be described as dense to very dense. Vertical excavations below the water table in these soil types exhibit short term stability, similar to many dense sandy soil deposits, in part due to matric suction. However, as shearing of the soil occurs in the active wedge due to gravity forces, strength is lost and the rate of failure accelerates. This can be exacerbated by hydrostatic forces developing at the location(s) where water (drains to and) collects in tension cracks in or near the back of the active wedge. Generally retrogressive spalling manifests, often accompanied by piping