Experimental study of the geotechnical behavior of sandy soil with wood and coal ash from artisan brick kilns

Abstract

The ashes generated from the burning of organic matter present an environmental problem due to their inadequate final disposal, contaminating the air and the populations. An adequate reuse mechanism would have a positive impact on reducing the environmental impact and would add value to a waste that is produced in large quantities. So, in recent years the use of waste in various infrastructure works has been studied more frequently. An experimental study of the geotechnical behavior of a well graded sand mixed with ash from the wood and coal burning of the artisanal brick industry was carried out. Likewise, it was sought to demonstrate the improvements in the geotechnical characteristics of the soil-ash mixture and contribute to the study of the benefits of the reuse of this residual material. In particular, physical characterization tests were performed, Standard proctor, direct cut and triaxial consolidated not drained (CU). In addition, direct cutting tests were carried out with specimens made with 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40% ash in relation to the dry weight of the soil. The direct cut results showed that the mixture with 10% ash achieved higher cut resistance, compared to the resistance of the pure soil. To confirm, the results of the triaxial CU test indicated that the shear strength and modulus of elasticity for the mixture is greater than that of the soil.