Análisis del comportamiento de las propiedades mecánicas de un suelo cohesivo y posible uso como material de terraplén cuando se modifica su composición granulometría usando escoria de Alto Horno

Abstract

This work proposes to use the blast furnace slag as a soil modifying agent. It can be used as an embankment material that provides solutions to negative environmental impacts, such as the excessive exploitation of quarries and the increase of industrial waste in filling areas. In order to use the blast furnace slag in regards to the grain size of the soil, it is intended to find an optimal dosage that guarantees the improvement of the physical and mechanical properties of the soil. The hypothesis is that blast furnace slag can improve the resistance index performance of a soil material. The objective is to comply with the technical specifications of the National Institute of Roads INVIAS in its article 220-13, embankment materials. Seven samples were taken to determine the most adapted dosage. The first sample was the raw soil. It was identified as clayey material of low plasticity with a CBR of 2% that is not suitable for embankment according to INVIAS technical specifications. Six other samples were modified with proportions of blast furnace slag of 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% respectively. The physical and mechanical properties effectively evolve in accordance to the proportions of blast furnace slag introduced. The first modified sample leaded to an increase of 5% of the CBR. This increase reaches its maximum with the 50% sample with an enhancement of 11% of the CBR. The hypothesis about an improvement of the resistance index performance of the embankment material is only considered valid when there is, at least, 30% of blast furnace slag in the soil. A proportion superior of 30% of blast furnace slag permits to be below the maximum limits established in table 221 of article 220-13 of INVIAS.