High water content in dredged silt leads to elevated costs for drying and solidification. By fully utilizing the porous water absorption of Expanded Perlite (EP)

we can locally separate free water from the silt

resulting in an uneven water distribution and creating a “silt-water separation” solidification environment. Experimental results indicate that incorporating EP with silt can effectively enhance the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of the solidified silt

but the method of incorporation affects the rate of strength increase and pore distribution. The stewing method

which involves pre-mixing EP into the silt and then adding cement after 24 hours

proves most favorable for promoting the solidification effect. After 28 days of curing

the strength of the stewing sample is 1.56 times that of the sample directly solidified with cement after EP incorporation

and 2.15 times that of the sample solidified with cement only. This indicates that the local "silt-water separation" effect facilitated by EP can effectively enhance the strength of the solidified silt. Meanwhile

hydration heat test results show that EP promotes cement hydration. According to the pore distribution curve and surface morphology images of EP-silt-solidified soil

while EP introduces porosity

it also provides growth space for hydration products

resulting in an embedded bond that forms a solidified soil skeleton between the interface of silt and EP. The method of regulating water content using EP is a physical one

which is convenient and efficient

differing from energy-intensive methods like machinery. Additionally

as a high-silica lightweight aggregate

EP exhibits good compatibility with silt and is environmentally friendly.