Influence of a Clay Ground Stabilized with Blast Furnace Slag on Flexible Road Pavement Thickness and Cost

Year 2020, Volume: 1 Issue: 2, 17 - 31, 31.12.2020

Mehmet Mahmut Tanyıldızı

Abstract

It has become a necessity in Highway Engineering, due to today's heavy vehicle traffic loads, that subgrade with weak bearing capacity on which the road trunk will rest be improved with various methods and additives. In this study, it has been aimed to improve a clay soil with weak bearing strength with the contribution of waste blast furnace slag (BFS) and to investigate its effect on the thickness and cost of flexible road pavement. For this purpose, in the study, stabilized mixture samples have been prepared by adding 5, 10, 15, 20% by weight of BFS to the clay soil. After these prepared samples have been mixed homogeneously, standard proctor, unconfined compression and california bearing rate (CBR) tests have been performed to the samples. As a result of experimental studies, it has been observed that the increase in BFS resulted in a decrease in the maximum dry density of the samples and an increase in the optimum moisture content. In addition, the highest unconfined compression strength has been obtained from 20% BFS doped samples. CBR values of the samples tested at this rate increased by 8.71 times compared to pure clay soil. Using these experimental data, the flexible road pavement layer thicknesses to be constructed with the AASHTO 1993 method on the BFS doped ground has been calculated and superstructure cost analyzes have been made with the help of current prices. As a result of the calculations, it has been determined that adding 20% BFS to the soil decreased the road pavement layer thickness by 29.41% compared to the pure clay soil in the design calculation made according to the layer thicknesses determined for both soils. According to the cost calculation results, the cost of the pavement for clayey soils containing 20% BFS has decreased by approximately 5.65% compared to the pure clay soil. According to these results, when the subgrade of a 1000 m long road is improved with 20% BFS, 8,400.00 TL saving will be provided in the cost of flexible pavement.

Keywords

clay soil, Blast furnace slag, Stabilization, Flexible pavement, AASHTO method

Supporting Institution

Inonu University Scientific Research Projects (SRP) Coordination

Project Number

project number FDK-2018-957.

Thanks

This study has been supported by Inonu University Scientific Research Projects (SRP) Coordination Unit, project number FDK-2018-957.

References

• [1] Kozak, M. (2010). Investigation of the usage areas of textile wastes as building materials. Electronic Journal of Building Technologies, 6(1): 62-70.
• [2] Aruntaş, H.Y. (2006). Potential use of fly ash in the construction industry. Journal of Gazi University Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, 21(1): 193-203.
• [3] Tunç, A. (2002). Geotechnics and applications in road engineering. Atlas Publishing, Istanbul.
• [4] Çakılcıoğlu, İ. (2007). Stabilization of high plasticity clays. Master Thesis, Sakarya University Institute of Science, Sakarya.
• [5] Hausman, M.R. (1990). Engineering principles of ground modification. International Edition, 321-335.
• [6] Kılıç, G. (2008). Ground stabilization with cement. Master Thesis, Yıldız Technical University Institute of Science, Istanbul.
• [7] Emery, J.J, Kim, C.S, and Cotsworth, R.P. (1976). Base stabilization using pelletized blast furnace slag, 4(1):94-100.
• [8] Öner, A, and Yıldırım, T. (2005). Effect of crushed stone sand content on concrete properties in concretes with and without ground blast furnace slag. Earthquake Symposium, Kocaeli.
• [9] Tokyay, M. and Erdoğdu, K. (2002). Slags and slag cements. Cement Manufacturers Association of Turkey, Ankara.
• [10] ACI 233.R-95, (2005). Ground granulated blast-furnace slag as a cementitious constituent in concrete. Reported by Acı Committe 233, American Concrete Institude, Detroit, Michigan.
• [11] Bilgen, G. Kavak, A. Yıldırım, S.T. and Çapar, Ö.F. (2010). The place and importance of blast furnace slag in the construction industry. Proceedings of the 2nd National Solid Waste Management Congress, Volume 1: 506-513, Mersin.
• [12] Bilgen, G. (2007). Ground stabilization with blast furnace slag. Master Thesis, Institute of Science, Kocaeli.
• [13] Sivrikaya, O. Yavascan, S. and Cecen, E. (2014). Effects of ground granulated blast-furnace slag on the index and compaction parameters of clayey soils. Acta Geotechnica, 19-27.
• [14] Bilgen, G. Kavak, A. and Çapar, Ö.F. (2012). The use of steel shop slag as an additive to a low-plasticity clay and its interaction with lime. Karaelmas Science and Engineering Journal, 2(2):30-38.
• [15] Cokca, E. Yazici, V. and Ozaydin, V. (2009). Stabilization of expansive clays using granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS) and GBFS-cement. Geotechnical and Geological Engineering, 27: 489-499.
• [16] Huang, Y, Wang, Q, and Shi, M. (2017). Characteristics and reactivity of ferronickel slag. Construction and Building Materials, 156, 773-789.
• [17] Gökalp, İ. Uz, V.E. Saltan, M. and Tutumluer, E. (2018). Technical and environmental evaluation of metalurgical slags as aggregate for sustainable pavement layer applications. Transportation Geotechnics,14, 61-69.
• [18] HTS (2013). Highways Technical Specifications Project Guide.
• [19] Arulrajah, A. Mohammadinia, A. Horpibulsuk, S. And Samingthong, W. (2016). Influence of class f fly ash and curing temperature on strength development of fly ash recycled concrete aggregate blends. Construction and Building Materials, 127:743-750.
• [20] Gençdal. H Beri̇lgen, S. and Kılıç, H. (2020). Investigation of volume change behavior on compacted high plasticity clay ground for different initial conditions. Gazi University Journal of Engineering and Architecture Faculty. 35(3): 1421-1436.
• [21] Kök, B.V. (2019). Highway Engineering and Design. Nobel Publications, Ankara, Turkey.
• [22] American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, AASHTO Guide for Design of Pavement Structures. Washington, D.C.:1993.
• [23] Kök, B.V. Yılmaz, M. and Geçkil A. (2012). The effect of cement stabilized soil on flexible pavement cost. Pamukkale University Journal of Engineering Sciences, Volume 18, Number 3, Pages 165-172.
• [24] Highways Flexible Pavement Project Design Guide, 2013. [25] http://www.birimfiyat.net, 2019.