Effect of delay between mixing and compaction on strength and compaction parameters of fly ash

Abstract

To minimize the disposal problem of large quantities of fly ash generated, efforts have been made to utilize the fly ash for various applications. In geotechnical engineering, fly ash can be used directly or mixed with soil, which involves compaction. Development of good strength through pozzolanic reactions is of great importance. Addition of water and curing is necessary to develop pozzolanic strength. In practice, there could be a delay between mixing of fly ash or soil + fly ash with water and compaction. This study brings out the effect of delay up to 7 days on compaction characteristics and unconfined compressive strength. It has been shown that the delay in compaction has significant effect on the compaction and the strength characteristics of reactive fly ash and their mixture, but no practical effect on non-reactive fly ashes.