INFLUENCE OF FLY ASH ON THE PROPERTIES OF SOIL-CEMENT

This work describes the results of the study of the impact of by-products of industrial production as a mineral additive to the soil-cement mixture, namely fly ash. The degree of influence of the mineral additive on water absorption and the softening coefficient of soil-cement was studied, since these indicators directly affect the reliability, durability and operational characteristics of the foundations of buildings and structures, especially those operated in conditions of high humidity or in conditions of temperature changes. The use of fly ash as a mineral additive is a promising direction, because fly ash has proven itself well when added to concrete mixtures. Taking into account the fact that one of the most expensive components of the soil-cement mixture is the binder, its partial replacement with available industrial waste will provide a positive impact on the economic and ecological efficiency of the soil-cement. Therefore, in this work, a study of the properties of soil cement with different degrees of replacement of the binding agent on fly ash was carried out. Based on the obtained results, it was found that fly ash as a mineral additive at a certain percentage ratio has a positive effect on the characteristics of soil cement as a material, namely on the reduction of water absorption compared to the control sample in which no fly ash was used, as well as an increase in the softening coefficient. The obtained results clearly demonstrate that the use of fly ash as a mineral additive in the soil-cement mixture is an effective engineering solution that will not only reduce the cost of soil-cement, but also make it possible to dispose of industrial waste and improve the characteristics of the material itself.