Erosion resistance capacity of dredged marine clay treated with basic oxygen furnace slag

Abstract

This study investigates the erosion resistance capacity of dredged marine clay treated with basic oxygen furnace (BOF) slag. Samples are prepared in different slag contents, sizes, and various curing times to determine their effects on the erosion resistance capacity. Erosion function apparatus (EFA) tests are performed with various flow velocities and by changing the water flow direction to obtain the erosion resistance properties, including the erosion rate, shear stress, critical velocity, and critical shear stress. The results show that the BOF slag-treated clay has a high erosion resistance capacity, and that the erosion of all the samples commenced only beyond a flow velocity of approximately 1 m/s. The erosion rate and shear stress were observed to increase with the BOF slag content, size, curing time, and bidirectional flow, and a BOF slag content of 30% (determined to be the optimum content) incurs the lowest erosion rate of the samples. The study also reveals that the erosion resistance properties are in good agreement with the undrained shear strength of the samples, and that the BOF slag-treated clay has a higher erosion resistance capacity to the water flow than clay samples with the same undrained shear strength.