Univrsity of Tehran Press Geopersia 2228-7817 15 2 2025 11 29 Impact of Temperature on the Unconfined Compressive Strength of Lime-Stabilized Aeolian Sands _ 339 357 101570 10.22059/geope.2025.390214.648806 EN Akbar Cheshomi Department of Engineering Geology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran Farnaz Safarzadeh Department of Engineering Geology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran Journal Article 2025 02 09 Aeolian sands are widely distributed in the Khuzestan Plain and serve as a common borrow material. Lime (CaO) has long been used to improve soil engineering properties. Given the high temperatures in this region, it is essential to assess the impact of temperature on the unconfined compressive strength (qu) of lime-stabilized aeolian sand. In this study, aeolian sand samples were collected and mixed with 5%, 7%, and 9% lime by weight. The samples were cured for 7, 14, and 21 days and then tested at temperatures of 20°C, 30°C, 50°C, and 70°C. According to the Unified Soil Classification System, the tested sand is poorly graded (SP) with an optimum moisture content of 13.18% and a maximum dry density of 1.688 g/cm³. The results showed that qu increases with curing time and lime content but decreases with higher test temperatures. SEM images revealed that lime particles fill voids and bond sand grains, enhancing strength. However, as temperature increased from 20°C to 70°C, samples with 5%, 7%, and 9% lime (cured for 21 days) showed qu reductions of 56%, 48%, and 52%, respectively. Since the samples were tested in dry conditions, this decline is attributed to differences in the thermal expansion of quartz and lime, as well as the increased kinetic energy and fluid volume. An empirical model was proposed to estimate qu under varying conditions. https://geopersia.ut.ac.ir/article_101570_44f9bb7522d065f77e26d81c41796c67.pdf