MECHANICAL AND MICROSTRUCTURAL IMPACTS OF LIME SLUDGE ON POND ASH AS A FILLER MATERIAL
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11113/aej.v16.24387Keywords:
Lime Sludge, Pond Ash, Microstructure, Unconfined Compressive Strength, and Compaction.Abstract
Pond ash, a residue generated from thermal power plant operations, presents significant environmental challenges and land management issues in its disposal. Lime sludge is also a by-product of water softening and paper mill industries, with few applications in the agriculture and construction industries. This study investigates the influence of the dosage of lime sludge on the mechanical, chemical and microstructural properties of pond ash for its applications as filler material. This research considered lime sludge dosage in 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% as the variable. The optimum moisture content was evaluated for all dosages using compaction tests. The unconfined compressive strength of the samples after 7 days,14 days and 28 days was assessed to determine the optimum dosage. Unconfined compressive strength tests demonstrated significant strength improvements, with values rising from 67 kPa for untreated pond ash to 149 kPa at 7 days, 296 kPa at 14 days, and 386 kPa at 28 days, identifying 15% lime sludge as the most effective dosage. To study the microstructural characteristics of the lime sludge stabilised pond ash, FTIR, XRD and SEM analysis were conducted. Results show that lime sludge significantly improves pond ash's strength, making it a suitable filler material for geotechnical applications like embankments, pavement subgrades, and backfill materials. This research highlights the effectiveness of lime sludge as an economical and sustainable stabilizing agent for the practical use of pond ash.
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