Field Testing Sections with Stabilized Blended Calcium Sulfate as Base Courses

Abstract

Blended calcium sulfate (BCS), an industrial by-product from hydrofluoric acid, was successfully stabilized with 120 grade, ground, granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) in a laboratory. A full-scale field testing section was then built to evaluate the in situ performance of the stabilization schemes determined in the laboratory and the impact of coarse aggregates (retained on the No. 4 sieve) on stabilization efficiency. An elaborate laboratory and in situ testing program was performed to provide construction quality control and to characterize the mechanical properties of stabilized BCS. The GGBFS-stabilized BCS performed well in terms of strength, stiffness, and water resistance, but fly ash was not effective in stabilizing BCS. The viability of field mixing techniques and field curing conditions was confirmed by the testing results, which provided some experimental basis for BCS stabilization in the future.