Mechanical characterisation of slag cement mixtures for road pavement foundations

In recent years, a new material has been experimented in Italy for road pavement foundations. It is a mixture made of Waste Foundry Sand (WFS) and Construction and Demolition (C&D) aggregate, water and CEM 32.5R cement, the performances of which can be compared to those of traditional cement bound granular materials. The mix has a binder content that can be varied up to 5%, a C.B.R. Index of above 100% and good short-term mechanical properties (after 7 days: compressive strength up to 2 MPa, indirect tensile strength up to 0.4 MPa, dynamic elastic modulus up to 6,000 MPa). Chemical analysis excludes that the mixture is either hazardous or toxic due to the leaching effect of water. The material has been used in the construction of different major roads in the Veneto Region (Padova, Limena, Montecchio Maggiore, Codigoro ring-roads). The WFS+C&D cement mixture can be spread under bituminous layers and assures high performance and durability of the road pavement.