Mechanical Properties and Microscopic Study of Steel Slag–Fly Ash-Solidified Loess under Alkaline Conditions

Abstract

To address the geological hazard posed by unstable loess slopes prone to collapse and landslides, a high-strength geopolymer cementing material was developed utilizing green steel slag–fly ash as its primary constituent and activated through the application of sodium silicate alkalinity. The mechanical properties and microstructure changes of loess under varying dosages of steel slag–fly ash geopolymers and curing age were investigated through a series of tests, including unconfined compressive strength, direct shear, disintegration, electron microscope scanning, and X-ray diffraction. The findings indicate that the incorporation of geopolymers can significantly enhance the internal friction angle, cohesion, and unconfined compressive strength of loess, while mitigating the disintegration quantity and rate of stabilized soil. When 20% geopolymer is mixed into the solidified soil and cured for 28 days, the resulting solidified soil exhibits an internal friction angle of 31.12°, a cohesion of 81.09 kPa, and an unconfined compressive strength of 570.86 kPa. These values are 1.62 times, 1.76 times, and 3.36 times higher than those of loess, respectively. Moreover, the solidified soil shows minimal disintegration within 1800 s, with only 1.97% disintegration. The curing age of solidified soil has a significant impact on its curing effect. Enhancing the curing time can considerably enhance the mechanical properties of solidified soil. When the geopolymer content is 20% and the curing time is extended to 28 days, the internal friction angle, cohesion, and unconfined compressive strength increase by approximately 0.23 times, 0.48 times, and 1.61 times, respectively, compared to a curing time of 7 days. By analyzing SEM and XRD, it was found that the hydration of steel slag–fly ash geopolymer produces C-S-H and C-A-S-H cementing materials, which effectively fill the gaps between soil particles and enhance the mechanical properties of solidified soil. The research findings can serve as a theoretical foundation for the consolidation of loess subgrade utilizing steel slag–fly ash geopolymer.