Mechanical Performance of Alkali-activated Stabilized Sandy Soil Reinforced with Glass Wool Residue Microfibers

Abstract

Alkali-activated binders have been introduced as promising alternatives to conventional binders such as lime and ordinary Portland cement (OPC). However, alkali-activated materials exhibit a brittle behavior and crack formation due to tensile stresses is inevitable. To overcome these limitations, incorporation of fibers into the cementitious matrix is among the well-known techniques to improve the flexural behavior and energy absorption of the corresponding composites. The present study aimed to investigate the feasibility of using reinforced alkali-activated metakaolin as an alternative to common stabilizers to improve the engineering characteristics of sandy soil. Calcium carbide residue (CCR) was used as an alkali activator, and glass wool residue (GWR) microfibers were used as reinforcement elements to maximize waste stream utilization. Unconfined compressive strength (UCS), California bearing ratio (CBR), and three-point bending tests were performed to evaluate the mechanical behavior of the alkali-activated products. Moreover, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) were employed to determine the microstructure and elemental composition of these products. The results indicate that the compressive strength and ductile behavior of the stabilized soil samples improved significantly. Furthermore, the SEM/EDX analysis of the reinforced alkali-activated samples revealed the interfacial bond between the microfibers and alkali-activated binding gel, enhancing the mechanical performance between the microfibers and cementitious matrix.