Lalit Borana: Sustainable Ground Improvement Practices Using Waste Materials

Under the aegis of the Medicis programme

Abstract

The rapid increase in waste generation and the associated management challenges worldwide have intensified the need for sustainable and green construction solutions. Soil-cement composites have traditionally been used in various civil engineering applications, such as bridge foundations, tunnels, and highway embankments. However, conventional high-cement formulations contribute significantly to environmental concerns, prompting exploration into alternative materials that support a circular economy. This study investigates the use of different types of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) like Ground-Granulated Blast-Furnace Slag (GGBS), Biochar, and Metakaolin as a partial replacement for Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) in soil-cement mixtures, aiming to create novel building materials for eco-friendly civil engineering applications. By blending clay soil with a fixed percentage of OPC and substituting portions of cement with different proportions of SCMs, the research evaluates the engineering properties of these mixtures through laboratory tests. Advanced microscopic analysis, including FE-SEM, XRD, BET, and FTIR further reveals insights into the microstructural arrangement, particle bonding, and cementitious distribution within the composite. The findings underscore the potential of SCM-enhanced composites to improve strength while promoting sustainable construction practices aligned with circular economy principles.

To attend on teams

It is also possible to attend the seminar on Microsoft Teams.