Use of waste foundry sand in highway construction

Sayeed Javed, Purdue University

Abstract

The promulgation of environmental regulations, both at the federal and state level, have resulted in increased control over both the hazardous and nonhazardous wastes generated in the foundry industry. The increased regulation action has in many cases resulted in foundry wastes being disposed in highly engineered and often times costly land disposal facilities. Beneficial reuse represents an alternative to disposal and the associated problems of diminished landfill capacity and increased tipping fees. This study contains: synthesis of all available information and laboratory test results for different beneficial uses of waste foundry sand. Among the different beneficial uses, waste foundry sand as a fill material in embankment and subgrade, as an aggregate supplement in asphalt concrete and as an aggregate in controlled low strength material were investigated. The various test values and properties were compared to those of granular soils/aggregates or appropriate specifications. Laboratory leachate data indicated that these waste foundry sands are non hazardous. Limited field studies have shown that the effect of waste foundry sand on the quality of groundwater is minimum.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Lovell, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Civil engineering

COinS