Soil Modification by the Application of Steel Slag

Abstract

This paper provides experimental insights on the modification of a soil using electric arc furnace (EAF) steel slag, which is limitedly used as a construction material because of its volumetric instability. Various percentages of pulverized steel slag were applied to a soil, having poor engineering properties, with the aim of improving the engineering properties of the soil. Sieve analysis, consistency limits, specific gravity, compaction, California bearing ratio (CBR), unconfined compression and permeability tests were performed on the soil and each of the soil-slag mixtures. The plasticity and the uncured strength of the soil were reduced and increased, respectively, by the addition of an optimal steel slag content of 8%. Pulverized steel slag is therefore recommended as a low-cost modifier or stabilizer of lateritic soils with poor engineering properties, because it made the soil sample in this study better suited for use as a road pavement layer material.