Apparatus and method of treating soil

Abstract

Apparatus and method of treating soil. The apparatus is a movable vehicle having a blade device for removing the soil. The removed soil is transferred into a loading space in which the soil is homogenized. One or more binders are mixed to the soil, after which it is taken back to ground by a spreading device. Stabilization of the soil is thus carried out in the movable apparatus.

1 . An apparatus for treating soil, which apparatus is a movable vehicle and comprises:
 a blade device for removing the soil from ground surface;   a loading space for receiving the removed soil;   a transfer device for transferring the removed soil into the loading space;   a feeding device for feeding at least one binder into the soil;   a mixing device configured to mix the soil in the loading space; and   a spreading device for spreading the binder-treated soil back to the ground surface from where it was removed by the blade device;   wherein   the apparatus is configured to feed to the soil at least one activator material which is together with the soil being treated configured to form a hardenable geopolymeric or alkali-activatable mixture.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the blade device comprises a cutting blade, which blade configured to scrape a portion of a selected depth off the ground surface by effect of movement between the vehicle and the ground surface.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterized in wherein
 the mixing device comprises a plurality of movable blades and is configured to crush the removed soil in the loading space.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the feeding device is arranged in connection with the spreading device, whereby the binder is fed after mixing of the soil.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the apparatus comprises at least one container for the binder.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the apparatus is intended for road layer stabilization, wherein soil materials of a load-bearing structure of the road are homogenized and stabilized.   
     
     
         7 . A method of treating soil, in which method:
 soil is treated with at least one binder to improve its compression strength;   and the soil is treated in a movable apparatus;   wherein   a load-bearing structure of a road is stabilized to a compression strength of at least 0.1 MPa by using as the binder an activator which forms together with road aggregate a hardenable geopolymeric or alkali-activatable mixture.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein
 homogenization and stabilization treatment of the load-bearing structure of the road are performed in the movable apparatus.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein
 soil is removed by a movable removing device and the removed soil is transferred into a loading space of the movable apparatus;   the removed soil is treated by a mixing device of the movable apparatus for its homogenization;   at least one binder is fed to the soil; and   the removed soil is returned back to ground after the treatment by a spreading device.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein
 layer stabilization is performed for the road by removing soil of the road in a layer of a predetermined thickness and by treating the removed layer by providing it with binder to increase the compression strength of existing soil.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein
 composition of the road aggregate is analysed and the binder and dosage of the binder to be used are selected based on the analysis.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein
 at least one industrial side-stream material or product prepared from a side-stream material is mixed into the soil in the movable apparatus.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the stabilization treatment is performed for an edge portion of the road by means of the movable apparatus.