Mechanical Characterisation of Hydraulically Bound Mixtures for Road Foundations Made with Bottom Ash from Municipal Solid Waste Incineration (MSWI)

The paper discusses the results of a laboratory study, aimed to evaluate the possibility to recycle the bottom ash from Municipal Solid Waste Incineration (MSWI), obtained from Italian plants, in the hydraulically bound mixtures for road foundations. The experimental trial involved a preliminary study of the physical - mechanical properties of the bottom ash investigated and then, the following formulation of the hydraulically bound mixtures, in terms of Proctor tests, compression test and indirect tensile tests, at both short and medium curing period. Because the requisites for acceptance in the Italian Specifications and Standards have been satisfied and given the positive mechanical performance (compressive strength and indirect tensile strength at 28 days up to 6.90 MPa and 0.56 MPa respectively), it has been verified that the MSWI bottom ash can be used as partial substitution of the natural aggregates in the road foundations.