scholarly journals A Review of Sustainable Materials to Improve Geotechnical Properties of Soils

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 289-305
Author(s):  
Farah Qais Al-naje ◽  
Alaa Hussein Abed ◽  
Abbas Jawad Al-Taie
Keyword(s):  
Health Hazard ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Pollution Source ◽  
Soil Composition ◽  
Agriculture Waste ◽  
Mechanical And Physical Properties ◽  
Sustainable Materials ◽  
Potential Pollution ◽  
By Products ◽  
Different Soils

Most of the soils suffered from significant geotechnical problems dependent on factors like the type of soil, soil composition and mineralogy. Specifically, the problems related to mechanical and physical properties of soils. Several studies have been used to mitigate the adverse effects of soils through using either additive conventional materials such as cement, lime or these soils blending with produced material and chemical materials. This paper focuses on stabilizing or improving different soils using sustainable materials. These materials provided environmental and economic benefits while mitigating a health hazard, storage problems, and a potential pollution source. They can be classified according to these sources into four groups: industrial waste (by-products), agriculture waste, domestic waste and mineral waste. According to the results of this review, compaction characteristics, California bearing ratio and unconfined compressive strength have been studied and discussed in this paper.

scholarly journals Process Design for a Production of Sustainable Materials from Post-Production Clay

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 953
Author(s):  
Michał Łach ◽  
Reda A. Gado ◽  
Joanna Marczyk ◽  
Celina Ziejewska ◽  
Neslihan Doğan-Sağlamtimur ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Compressive Strength ◽  
Waste Production ◽  
Sustainable Materials ◽  
Post Production ◽  
Rich Material ◽  
Jurassic Limestone ◽  
By Products ◽  
Alkali Activated

Alkali activated cement (AAC) can be manufactured from industrial by-products to achieve goals of “zero-waste” production. We discuss in detail the AAC production process from (waste) post-production clay, which serves as the calcium-rich material. The effect of different parameters on the changes in properties of the final product, including morphology, phase formation, compressive strength, resistance to the high temperature, and long-term curing is presented. The drying and grinding of clay are required, even if both processes are energy-intensive; the reduction of particle size and the increase of specific surface area is crucial. Furthermore, calcination at 750 °C ensure approximately 20% higher compressive strength of final AAC in comparison to calcination performed at 700 °C. It resulted from the different ratio of phases: Calcite, mullite, quartz, gehlenite, and wollastonite in the final AAC. The type of activators (NaOH, NaOH:KOH mixtures, KOH) affected AAC mechanical properties, significantly. Sodium activators enabled obtaining higher values of strength. However, if KOH is required, the supplementation of initial materials with fly ash or metakaolin could improve the mechanical properties and durability of AAC, even c.a. 28%. The presented results confirm the possibility of recycling post-production clay from the Raciszyn II Jurassic limestone deposit.

scholarly journals Analysis of an application possibility of geopolymer materials as thermal backfill for underground power cable system

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paweł Ocłoń ◽  
Piotr Cisek ◽  
Marcelina Matysiak
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Power Cable ◽  
Closed Cycle ◽  
Cable System ◽  
Material Costs ◽  
Cable Systems ◽  
Underground Power Cable ◽  
By Products

Abstract The circular economy is a closed cycle that allows one to reuse the industrial waste, as well as minimize the energy and resources losses during the production process. This paper presents an innovative idea of the application of a geopolymer cable backfill for underground power cable system installation. The closed cycle, in this case, is formulated as follows: the primary resource is the waste from the combustion of fossil fuels, i.e., fly ash that is utilized to form the geopolymer matrix. The geopolymer then is used as thermal backfill in underground power cable systems. Utilization of combustion by-products in the form of a geopolymer is a highly profitable solution since landfill waste disposal, in this case, generates considerable costs for the electrical energy producers. In typical applications, geopolymers are used as insulators. By adding individual components, the thermal conductivity of 2.0 W/(m K), higher than of typical thermal backfills (Fluidized Thermal Backfill), which value is close to 1.5 W/(m K), is reached. What is very important, geopolymers can absorb water better than typical sand–cement mixtures. As a result, a high thermal conductivity with the temperature increase is maintained. The application of geopolymers as thermal backfills has the potential to improve the flexibility of underground power cable systems, as well as to minimize the material costs of installation. The case study is presented to show the economic benefits of using the combustion by-products as a geopolymer thermal backfill. The finite element method model of an underground power cable system is developed, and optimization of backfill dimensions is provided to minimize the material costs using the geopolymer thermal backfill and to maximize the underground power cable system performance. The main result of this paper is that the application of geopolymers leads to a decrease in underground power cable system costs, compared to traditional backfill (sand–cement mixture). The reason is the higher value of thermal conductivity, which allows selecting a cable with a smaller cross-sectional area. Also, the environmental benefits of geopolymer application for cable bedding are discussed. Graphic abstract

Leaching behavior of total organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus from banana peel

2015 ◽  
Vol 71 (10) ◽  
pp. 1458-1462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruixue Jiang ◽  
Shujuan Sun ◽  
Yan Xu ◽  
Xiudong Qiu ◽  
Jili Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Total Organic Carbon ◽  
Contact Time ◽  
Ph Value ◽  
Pollution Source ◽  
Banana Peel ◽  
Leaching Behavior ◽  
Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽  
Domestic Waste ◽  
Potential Pollution

The leaching behavior of organic carbon and nutrient compounds from banana peel (BP) was investigated in batch assays with respect to particle size, contact time, pH value, and temperature. The granularity, contact time, pH, and temperature caused no significant effects on the leaching of total phosphorus (TP) from the BP. The maximum leached total nitrogen (TN) content was found at pH 5.0 and 90 minutes, while no significant effects were caused by the granularity and temperature. The maximum leached total organic carbon (TOC) content was found by using a powder of 40 mesh, 150 minutes and at pH 6.0, while the temperature had no effect on the TOC leaching. The proportions of the TN, TP, and TOC contents leached from the dried BP ranged from 33.6% to 40.9%, 60.4% to 72.7%, and 8.2% to 9.9%, respectively, indicating that BP could be a potential pollution source for surface and ground water if discharged as domestic waste or reutilized without pretreatment.

scholarly journals Chromium VI and Fluoride Competitive Adsorption on Different Soils and By-Products

Processes ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (10) ◽  
pp. 748
Author(s):  
Ana Quintáns-Fondo ◽  
Gustavo Ferreira-Coelho ◽  
Manuel Arias-Estévez ◽  
Juan Carlos Nóvoa-Muñoz ◽  
David Fernández-Calviño ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pine Bark ◽  
Competitive System ◽  
Chromium Vi ◽  
Batch Type ◽  
System A ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Polluted Waters ◽  
By Products ◽  
Different Soils ◽  
Oak Ash

Chromium (as Cr(VI)) and fluoride (F−) are frequently found in effluents from different industrial activities. In cases where these effluents reach soil, it can play an important role in retaining those pollutants. Similarly, different byproducts could act as bio-adsorbents to directly treat polluted waters or to enhance the purging potential of soil. In this work, we used batch-type experiments to study competitive Cr(VI) and F− adsorption in two different soils and several kinds of byproducts. Both soils, as well as mussel shell, oak ash, and hemp waste showed higher adsorption for F−, while pyritic material, pine bark, and sawdust had a higher affinity for Cr(VI). Considering the binary competitive system, a clear competition between both elements in anionic form is shown, with decreases in adsorption of up to 90% for Cr(VI), and of up to 30% for F−. Adsorption results showed better fitting to Freundlich’s than to Langmuir’s model. None of the individual soils or byproducts were able to adsorbing high percentages of both pollutants simultaneously, but it could be highly improved by adding pine bark to increase Cr(VI) adsorption in soils, thus drastically reducing the risks of pollution and deleterious effects on the environment and on public health.

scholarly journals Delineation and Dimension of Deforestation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moses Z. Sithole ◽  
Isaac A. Agholor
Keyword(s):  
Human Activities ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Indigenous Plants ◽  
Forest Protection ◽  
Environmental Dimension ◽  
Rural Dwellers ◽  
The Impact ◽  
By Products

Deforestation is induced by human activities, cascading into associated cost and economic benefits. The concepts, dimensions and, deforestation caused by deliberate human activities were extensively examined. The chapter also highlighted the rationale for deforestation, environmental dimension to deforestation and contributions of forestry and forest by products to livelihoods. The segmented cases and experiences to create awareness on the need to discourage deforestation were explored. While recognizing that forest provides useful support for majority of rural dwellers, the justification for forest protection is advocated. Some communities depend on forests for their main livelihood, and use medicinal therapies derived from indigenous plants found in the forest. Forest remains an important pool of biodiversity and deforestation must be avoided. The chapter conclude that awareness of the impact of deforestation by the citizenry should be encouraged and supported by policies.

scholarly journals Industrial Symbiosis for Optimal Bio-Waste Management and Production of a Higher Value-Added Product

Processes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 2228
Author(s):  
Edgaras Stunžėnas ◽  
Irina Kliopova ◽  
Daina Kliaugaitė ◽  
Rimas Pranas Budrys
Keyword(s):  
Waste Management ◽  
Food Waste ◽  
Impact Analysis ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Soluble Nitrogen ◽  
The Impact ◽  
By Products

A considerable amount of food waste ends up in centralized treatment plants due to the lack of preventive measures, resulting in significant environmental impacts. Hospitality food waste management is even more resource-intensive because of animal by-products regulation. According to this regulation, companies must store and then consign waste to specific waste managers. The extensive need for transportation of high-moisture-content materials is the leading cause of the impact. Moreover, the management of category III animal by-products is costly for companies. A previous study has shown the economic benefits of decentralized animal by-product treatment by intensive composting in catering companies. Although the produced compost was characterized by exceptional quality parameters, it was phytotoxic. The investigation of hospitality waste management is scarcely discussed among scholars, and waste management on a regional scale is nearly absent. This study examines the regional management of hospitality food waste by exploiting the municipal waste management infrastructure and intensive composting at the source. The co-maturation experiment with animal by-products and municipal green waste primary composts showed that the phytotoxicity parameters of the cured compost were in the optimal range or below the thresholds (conductivity (1.1 mS cm−1), dissolved organic carbon (82 mg kg−1), and NH4+/NO3− ratio (0.0027)). Additionally, the amounts of total nitrogen, water-soluble nitrogen, and water-soluble phosphorus in the compost were rated as very high. Finally, inventory and environmental impact analysis of the current and planned management approaches showed a reduction in 12 of 18 impact categories.

scholarly journals Bio-Based Composites from Industrial By-products and Wastes as Raw Materials

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 29
Author(s):  
Roxana Dinu ◽  
Alice Mija
Keyword(s):  
Raw Materials ◽  
Tensile Tests ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Biomass Valorization ◽  
Chicken Feathers ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Maximum Quantity ◽  
Sustainable Materials ◽  
Rigid Matrix ◽  
By Products

Innovative bio-based composites combining humins as biorefinery by-product with keratin or lignin as wastes or industrial side-products were developed. The bio-composites were prepared using three types of matrix formulations allowing the synthesis of elastic to rigid thermosets. These matrices were combined with chicken feathers powder, non-woven chicken feathers mat or lignin to produce bio-composites. A maximum quantity of bio-fillers was used, around 10 wt.%. The effect of the bio-fillers on the matrix’s crosslinking was studied by rheology and DSC. Then, the obtained materials were analyzed by TGA, DMA, tensile tests, water absorption and SEM. The results show a very good compatibility of the humins matrix with the bio-fillers, without any preliminary modification of the matrix, that is exceptional for the point of view of a composite. The overall performances of the neat matrix were maintained or improved through the composites. Therefore, bio-composites with potentially interesting thermal and mechanical properties have been synthesized. In the case of the elastic ductile matrix the Young’s modulus value was improved from 1 to 22 MPa, while for the rigid matrix the increase was from 106 to 443 or 667 MPa, in the case of composites with non-woven chicken feathers mat or lignin. To our knowledge this is the first study combining humins matrix with keratin. The obtained bio-composites are sustainable materials linked via the used raw materials to the circular economy and biomass valorization.

scholarly journals A State-of-the-Art Review on Suitability of Granite Dust as a Sustainable Additive for Geotechnical Applications

Crystals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 1526
Author(s):  
Gudla Amulya ◽  
Arif Ali Baig Moghal ◽  
Abdullah Almajed
Keyword(s):  
Natural Resources ◽  
Civil Engineering ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Present Review ◽  
Interaction Mechanisms ◽  
Geotechnical Characteristics ◽  
By Products ◽  
Valuable Content ◽  
Different Soils

The increase in infrastructure requirement drives people to use all types of soils, including poor soils. These poor soils, which are weak at construction, must be improved using different techniques. The extinction of natural resources and the increase in cost of available materials require us to think of alternate resources. The usage of industry by-products and related methods for improving the properties of different soils has been studied for several years. Granite dust is an industrial by-product originating from the primary crushing of aggregates. The production of huge quantities of granite dust in the industry causes severe problems from the handling to the disposal stage. Accordingly, in the civil engineering field, the massive utilization of granite dust has been proposed for various applications to resolve these issues. In this context, the present review provides precise and valuable content on granite dust characterization, its effect as a stabilizer on the behavior of different soils, and its interaction mechanisms. The efficacy of the granite dust in replacing sand in concrete is explored followed by its ability to improve the geotechnical characteristics of clays of varying plasticity are explored. The review is even extended to study the effect of binary stabilization on clays with granite dust in the presence of calcium-based binders. The practical limitations encountered and its efficiency over other stabilizers are also assessed. This review is further extended to analyze the effect of the granite dust dosage for various field applications.

scholarly journals NORM waste, cements, and concretes. A review

2021 ◽  
Vol 71 (344) ◽  
pp. e259
Author(s):  
F. Puertas ◽  
J. A. Suárez-Navarro ◽  
M. M. Alonso ◽  
C. Gascó
Keyword(s):  
Natural Radioactivity ◽  
Industrial Waste ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Health Hazard ◽  
Sustainable Construction ◽  
Steel Mill ◽  
Portland Cements ◽  
Iron And Steel ◽  
By Products

The use of industrial waste and/or by-products as alternative sources of raw materials in building materials has become standard practice. The result, more sustainable construction, is contributing to the institution of a circular economy. Nonetheless, all necessary precautions must be taken to ensure that the inclusion and use of such materials entail no new health hazard for people or their environment. Due to the processes involved in generating industrial waste/by-products, these alternative or secondary materials may be contaminated with heavy metals, other undesirable chemicals or high levels of natural radioactivity that may constrain their use. In-depth and realistic research on such industrial waste is consequently requisite to its deployment in building materials. This paper reviews the basic concepts associated with radioactivity and natural radioactivity, focusing on industrial waste/by-products comprising Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) used in cement and concrete manufacture. Updated radiological data are furnished on such waste (including plant fly ash, iron and steel mill slag, bauxite and phosphogypsum waste) and on other materials such as limestone, gypsum and so on. The paper also presents recent findings on radionuclide activity concentrations in Portland cements and concretes not bearing NORMs. The role of natural aggregate in end concrete radiological behaviour is broached. The radiological behaviour of alternative non-portland cements and concretes, such as alkali-activated materials and geopolymers, is also addressed.

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