Research on the Pavement Performance of Slag/Fly Ash-Based Geopolymer-Stabilized Soil

Area of Science:

• Civil Engineering
• Materials Science
• Environmental Engineering

Background:

• Road construction faces challenges with high energy consumption and carbon emissions from traditional base materials.
• Sustainable development necessitates eco-friendly, low-carbon, high-performance alternatives for road construction.
• Research on slag and fly ash geopolymers for road-stabilized soils is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the use of industrial wastes (slag-based geopolymer and fly ash) as stabilizers for road base materials.
• To evaluate the pavement performance of two soil types stabilized with slag/fly ash geopolymers.
• To address the need for sustainable, low-carbon road construction materials.

Main Methods:

• Systematic evaluation of pavement performance for two distinct soil types.
• Unconfined compressive strength tests to assess mechanical properties.
• Freeze-thaw cycling tests to determine durability and resistance to environmental degradation.

Main Results:

• Slag-based geopolymer content significantly increased soil compressive strength, outperforming cement stabilization by 30%.
• Fly ash co-stabilization enhanced performance, particularly for soil sample 2, showing dose-dependent strength increases.
• Stabilized soils demonstrated improved freeze-thaw resistance, with strength loss reduced significantly after composite stabilization.

Conclusions:

• Slag/fly ash-based geopolymer-stabilized soils meet strength requirements for road subbases and base courses.
• These materials offer a promising low-carbon, environmentally friendly alternative to conventional road base materials.
• The study validates the potential of industrial solid waste utilization in sustainable road construction.