UTILISATION OF COAL ASH

FOR ROAD
CONSTRUCTION

B H T ARIYARATHNE
Research & Development Division
What is Coal Ash ?
It is a waste product of coal-fired
power plants. Coal ash contains a
number of by-products produced
from burning coal, mainly :
Fly Ash & Bottom Ash

Coal Ash Production & Utilization

Ash Type Quantity Usage (%)
Fly Ash 830 tons/day ~ 30% - 40%
Bottom Ash 67 tons/day None
 Coal Ash dumping yard

• Stock pile area : 30 Acres

• Available stock : 400,000 MT
• Usage of this stock pile : Nil
Issues related with Coal Ash
 The wind brings coal dust and fly ash towards the landside,
blackening agricultural fields, homes, coconut trees, etc.
 Ash is carried up to 2km away from the plant creating
social & economic impact to the locals.

Social Impact Economic Impact

• Water quality is not suitable for
drinking water
• Women between the age 20-45 years
often work in the nearby field and ash
can cause complication during child
birth
• Respiratory issues and eye irritation
have been recorded in people living in
the region.
• Ash containing fine particles could
enter the lungs and cause Chronic
Obstructive Pulmonary
• Agricultural lands dilute the
ash and dust causing
damage to crops
• Problems have arisen in
growing coconut due to the
ash
• The population in the area
has decreased
Issues with material scarcity
• Due to present construction boom in road sector, there is a big demand for good
quality construction materials.

• Availability of natural resources is not sufficient to meet the current demand of the
road industry

• The reserves of high-quality materials for road construction are diminishing in

many areas and the long-distance hauled-in materials would result in high
transportation costs.

• Materials from local sources may be out-of-specification (marginal material) with

respect to the standard specifications for roadway base/subbase and road
embankments.
 To find out combine solution
for above two devastating
issues this research work was
initiated at the Research &
Development Division
 Review of other countries recycling methods
& previous studies China Total Utilisation – 67%
5%
World Coal Ash utilization 15%

35%

15%

10%
20%

Bricks ,concrete & cement Road bed/Embankments Motar Admixture

Agriculture Mine backfill Others

America
Total Utilisation – 56%
6%
4%
5%

15%

56%

14%

Sri Lankan Coal Ash Utilisation for Road construction - Nil

Concrete Products Blended Cement Road Bases/Embankments
Mining Application Solidification Other
Several guidelines and methodologies are
available to use coal ash for road construction
works
 Using Coal Ash in Highway Construction: A
Guide to Benefits and Impacts, America Coal
Ash Association

 Standard guide for Design & Construction of

Coal Ash Structural Fills, ASTM E 2277-14

 Use of coal ash in Embankment and Bases,

Technical Advisory T 5080.9, US Department
of Transport.
 Can’t we use these coal
ash for road construction
in Sri Lanka ?
Yes we can use,

1.) As a stabiliser for road pavement

2.) As a filling material for embankment.
Approaching Methodology
Use as a Embankment
Use as a Stabiliser
Filling

• Evaluate the properties of selected • Chemical & physical characteristics

soil (marginal material) & coal ash were evacuated
• Chose desirable coal ash content for • Numerical analyses based on Mohor
maximum usage by the means of Coulomb yield criteria were carried out
strength characteristics (First stage of using finite element software ,
this research it was decided to check GeoStudio 2018
strength characteristics (CBR value) )
• Added common stabilizing
agents(cement & lime) to further
improvements for soil & coal ash
mixture
Approaching Methodology
Properties of coal Ash Properties of soil

Coal Ash from Norochcholai dumping

yard was used for this investigation
Initially 4 type of soil were tested and
Chemical properties two soil from two rejected borrow pits
Chemical composition of coal ash was were used
done Sieve analysis
Leachate test were Atterberg limits
Physical Properties CBR test
Sieve analysis (Dry sieve & wet Sieve) Soil classification
Compaction test
CBR test
 Chemical properties of coal ash
Chemical composition of coal ash Leaching assessment of coal ash
Chemical Test Fly Ash Bottom Ash Chemical Test Fly Ash Bottom Ash
Silica (SiO2) ASTM D4326-13 48.09% 47.98% Copper (Cu) USEPA 1311 & 200.7 <0.05 <0.05
Phosphorus (P2O5) ASTM D4326-14 2.29% 2.03% Nickel (Ni) USEPA 1311 & 200.7 0.17 <0.05
Sulphur (SO3) ASTM D4326-15 0.31% 0.08% Manganese (Mn) USEPA 1311 & 200.7 1.73 0.52
Iron Oxide (Fe3+) ASTM D4326-16 3.61% 4.86% Antimony and Compounds USEPA 1311 & 200.7 <0.05 <0.05
Aluminium (AL) ASTM D4326-17 16.48% 15.59% Beryllium & Compounds USEPA 1311 & 200.7 <0.05 <0.05
Titanium (Ti) ASTM D4326-18 0.98% 0.98% Molybdenum (Mo) USEPA 1311 & 200.7 0.09 <0.05
Calcium (Ca) ASTM D4326-19 6.68% 7.22%
Thallium & Compounds USEPA 1311 & 200.7 <0.05 <0.05
Potassium (K) ASTM D4326-20 0.45% 0.40%
Vanadium Compounds (V) USEPA 1311 & 200.7 0.65 <0.05
Magnesium (Mg) ASTM D4326-21 0.94% 1.01%
Aluminium (Al) USEPA 1311 & 200.7 0.95 4.96
Manganese ( Mn) ASTM D4326-22 0.04% 0.04%
Sodium (Na) ASTM D4326-23 0.02% 0.20% Calcium (Ca) USEPA 1311 & 200.7 1055 167.6
Nickel (Ni) ASTM D4326-24 <0.010% <0.010% Magnesium (Mg) USEPA 1311 & 200.7 78.85 16.14
Arsenic (As) ASTM D6357:2011 77.67 ppm 70.90 ppm Arsenic (As) USEPA 1311 & 200.7 0.27 <0.05
Cadmium ( Cd) ASTM D6357:2012 ND ND Chromium (Cr) USEPA 1311 & 200.7 <0.05 <0.05
Lead (Pb) ASTM D6357:2013 5.31 ppm ND Cadmium (Cd) USEPA 1311 & 200.7 <0.05 <0.05
Antimony (Sb) SO-IN-MUL-TE-109 ND ND Cobalt (Co) USEPA 1311 & 200.7 0.06 <0.05
• This indicates the availability of pozzolans in Lead (Pb)
Barium (Ba)
USEPA 1311 & 200.7
USEPA 1311 & 200.7
<0.05
0.16
<0.05
0.75
considerable amount Mercury (Hg) USEPA 1311 & 200.7 <0.01 <0.01
Selenium (Se) USEPA 1311 & 200.7 0.06 <0.05
Silver (Ag) USEPA 1311 & 200.7 <0.05 <0.05
Zinc (Zn) USEPA 1311 & 200.7 0.07 0.05

• Consist of some heavy metal indicate the

special attention when use
Test reports were provided by CEB which were done through SGS laboratory India.
Physical properties of coal ash
PARTICLE SIZE
SIEVE NO. U.S. SERIES SEIVE OPENING INCHES (LOG SCALE) 1.20
No.200 No. 100 No.50 No .40 No.30 SQUARE OPENINGS
No.16 No 8 1/4 3/8 1/2 3/4 1 11/2 2 21/2
100

90 ICTAD Table 1708 -3

Dry Density (g/cm3)

The Grading
80
Sample Coal Ash(wet) 1.16
70

60
%PASSING

50 BA(wet)
1.12
40

30

20

1.08
10
10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 35.0
0
.075 .150 .300 .425 .600 1.18 2.36 5 20 28 37.5 50 63 Moisture Content %
SIEVE NO.B.S.SERIES SIEVE OPENING mm(log scale) SQUARE
OPENINGS

• Coal ash is a well-graded material with particles ranging in size from fine gravel to fine
sand
• Crushing of the bottom ash particles during compaction contributes to an increase in
the maximum dry unit weight
Properties of natural soil
Particle size analysis percentage passing (BS SIEVE SIZE)
Unified soil CBR 98%
Soil ID 37.5 28 20 14 10 2.36 1.18 600 300 150 75 classification
OMC MDD
50 mm 5 mm LL PL PI MDD
mm mm mm mm mm mm mm µm µm µm µm

A 100 99 98 96 86 83 78 70 60 51 44 52 28 24 SC 15.2 1.78 17

B 100 99 97 93 88 82 72 57 43 22 14 8 SC 12.3 1.92 11
C 100 97 97 94 92 87 68 55 43 35 30 27 26 59 35 24 SM 15.3 1.87 29
D 100 99 99 99 97 94 82 66 54 46 40 40 20 20 SC 16.8 1.81 26

Specification Limits

Use for Liquid Plasticity CBR% Compatibility

Limit Index
Sub Base (upper layer) <40 <15 >30 None
Sub Base(Lower Layer/capping) <40 <15 >15 None
Embankment <50 <25 >7 Soil B & Soil D
Objective 1

Stabilized marginal soil using existing

coal ash
1. Soil mix with coal ash 20%,30% & 40% by weight
2. Soil mix with coal Ash & Cement
3. Soil mix with coal Ash & Lime
4. Soil mix with coal Ash, Cement & Lime
Laboratory Investigation & Test Results
Natural Soil + 20% Ash
Soil + 30% Ash Soil + 40% Ash
1. Soil Mix with Coal Ash

46

43

42

39
• Coal ash have pozzaolanic

38
properties-that means they react N

33
o
with water and free lime(calcium

29
n
oxide) to produce a cement –like

NA
26
P
compound. l
• Coal Ash percentage of 20%,30% a

17
& 40% mix with soil s

11
• 4 day soak CBR @ 98% t
compaction was used i
c

0
0

0
SOIL A SOIL B SOIL C SOIL D
52 46 22 22 23 59 36 40 36
Liquid Limit
24 23 8 7 6 24 8 20 9
Plasticity Index
1. Soil Mix with Coal Ash

Type Natural Soil Soil + 30% Coal Ash

Type LL PI CBR LL PI CBR Compatibility

Specification Limit
Sub Base <40 <15 >30 according to SSCM 2009
Soil A 52 24 17 33 9 46 Comply
Soil B 22 8 11 23 6 38 Comply
Soil C 59 24 29 36 8 42 Comply
Soil D 40 20 26 36 9 39 Comply

According to the above result all soils would be suitable for road sub base
constructions
2. Soil Mix with Coal Ash & Cement
Cement is considered as the
most adaptable binder for
immobilization of heavy metals 80

70
72%
60
• 1% cement was added to above mixture C
• 98% MDD,OMC and 3 day moisture B 50

curing and 4 days soaked condition used R 40

% 38%
for testing 30

20 26%

10 11%
0
Natural Soil (B) Soil + 1% Cement Soil + 30% Ash Soil + 1% Cement + 30%
Ash

Liquid Limit 22 24 23 25

Plasticity Index 8 8 6 9
3. Soil Mix with Coal Ash & Lime
According to ASTM C 618 fly ash
category is class F. that means they
require additional lime to obtain self- 160

hardening 140
142%
120

• 3% lime was added to above mixture

C 100 110%
• 98% MDD,OMC and 24 day moisture B 80
curing and 4 days soaked condition used R
for testing % 60

40
Soil
20 26%
14

12 0
Natural Soil (D) Soil + 3% Lime Soil + 3% Lime + 30% Ash
10
PH VALUE

8
Liquid Limit 40 43 36
6

4 20 14 7
Plasticity Index
2

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
LIME CONTENT
4. Soil Mix with Coal Ash , Lime & Cement
300

To gain the stage 2 & stage 3

requirements both cement & lime 250
256%
were mixed together in this stage
200
199%
C
B 150
Lime Demand Curve R
Soil Soil +30% Ash Soil+20% Ash
% 100
14

12

10 50
PH VALUE

8 26%
6 0
Natural Soil Soil + 1% Cement + 3% Lime + Soil + 1% Cement + 3% Lime +
4 20% Ash 30% Ash
2

0 40 39 38
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Liquid Limit
LIME CONTENT
Plasticity Index 20 7 7
Objective 2

Use of Coal Ash for Embankment filling

• Good drainage , bearing capacity, light weight ,
angularity of partials for better resistance , indicate the
use of coals ask for embankment material.
• Flood prone areas and bridge approaches were not
included in this approach
• If proper design and construction procedure were
followed, it is understood that coal bottom ash is a
suitable waste to be recycled into wealth especially in
road projects.

Values used for this analysis

Angle of
Material Condition Density Cohesion
Friction
Coal Ash Unsaturated 12 0 29
Outer Zone Unsaturated 18 5 34
Foundation Unsaturated 20 18 36
Embankment analysis result
• Low Embankment less than 4m high

Case 1 – Embankment to final height 4m with Case 2 – Embankment to final height 4m with
traffic load of 20 kPa – Low water level traffic load of 20 kPa – water level above 1m
Embankment analysis result
• High Embankment over 4m high

Case 1 – Embankment to final height 4m with Case 2 – Embankment to final height 4m with
traffic load of 20 kPa – Low water level traffic load of 20 kPa – water level above 1m
Conclusions & Recommendations
• It is possible to stabilize marginal soil by adding maximum of 30%
coal ash by weight. Since leachate test was not carried out in this
stage , it is recommend to add 1% cement to immobilized the heavy
metals.

• Adding lime would be a result of gaining high strength & it reflect

the use of this mixture as a good road base subjected to
investigate other factors.

• Existing coal ash stock pile could be used as a bulk quantity for
Embankment filling by providing out cover of soil layer & HDPE
Geopolymer liner.
Investigations planed to carryout
Use as a Embankment/
Structural Filling

Investigate durability characteristics Trial section was planed to construct to

investigate field performances
 Wetting and drying test
 Location : Central expressway –
 Swell index test Section 2
 Length of the section : 100m
 UCS test
 Height of the embankment = 3m
 Shear box test  Instrumentation:
• settlement plates,
• survey points,
• settlement stakes and
• stand pipe piezometers
THANK YOU