Effect of steel slag on the mechanical behavior of surficial yellow marl of Tabriz

Fine-grained soils usually have low shear strength and bearing capacity and high swelling potential in the wet state, therefore, they have often to be stabilized by additives. The main objective of this study is to determine the possible effects of ground-granulated blast-furnace slag on the physical and mechanical properties of fine-grained soil. For this purpose, a number of Atterberg, compaction, California bearing ratio (CBR), unconfined compression and freeze-thaw tests were conducted on fine-grained soil. Steel slag (SS) inclusion reduced plasticity index of soil from 44% to 20% when slag content increased from 0% to 55.0%. Moreover, the slag addition improved soil CBR with maximum improvement rate in the sample consists to 55% slag. This increment in CBR was about 140% and 154% for 2.54 mm and 5.08 mm penetration respectively. In addition, slag inclusion raised soil strength with a maximum increment of 132% for clay mixed with 55% slag. Water content and volume changes in freeze-thaw cycles also decreased with increasing percentage of SS, therefore mixtures durability increased.