anthill material for runway improvement

[Jim1111]

Are there any good sources that might provide specifications for use of anthill material to harden the surface of a remote tropical airport runway or suggestions on how this could be done?

 

[detate]

I suppose that anthill material is primarily soil that has been transported by ants? I would recommend using it subject to normal materials specifications (if fine grained; liquid limit < 40, PI< 35, organic content < 5%, and if coarse grained; resonably well graded). Is there some sort of cementation provided by the ants?

 

[Jim1111]

The anthill material is purported to be an effective agent for hardening soft soil surfaces and improving water runoff according to locals in tropical Africa. It has been used there as a runway surfacing material.

 

[Jim1111]

As a matter of correction, the material referred to as anthill material, is to be more accurately termite mound material and has some cementing properties perhaps attributable to the secretory products of termites.