Use of Fly Ash for Road

& Embankment
Construction

Presentation by

Sudhir Mathur
Head
Geotechnical Engineering Division
Central Road Research Institute, New Delhi
 Major Road Construction
Programmes
• National Highway Development
Programme (NHDP)
• Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna
(PMGSY)
 Necessity of alternate
materials
• Large quantities of construction materials
required

• Scarcity of good quality aggregates / soil for

road construction

• Waste and marginal materials like flyash

• Disposal and environmental problem

 Properties of Fly ash
Major constituents - Oxides of silica, aluminum,
iron, calcium & magnesium
Favourable properties for embankment &
road construction - Pozzolanic nature
- Light weight, Non plastic
- High shear strength
- Ease of compaction
- Self hardening
- Amenable to stabilization
- High permeability
- Faster rate of consolidation
 Utilization of Fly ash
• Construction of embankments /
backfills
• Stabilization of subgrade and
sub-base
• Construction of semi-rigid / rigid
pavements
Engineering Properties of Fly ash
Parameter Range
Specific Gravity 1.90 – 2.55
Plasticity Non-Plastic
Maximum Dry Density (gm/cc) 0.9 – 1.60
Optimum Moisture Content (%) 18-38
Cohesion (kN/m2) Negligible
Angle of Internal Friction () 300 - 400
Coefficient of Consolidation Cv 1.75 x 10-5 - 2.01 x 10-3
(cm2/sec)
Compression index Cc 0.05 – 0.4
Permeability (cm/sec) 8 x 10-6 - 7 x 10-4
Partcle Size Distribution (% of materials)
Clay size fraction 1 – 10
Silt size fraction 8 – 85
Sand size fraction 7 – 90
Gravel size fraction 0 – 10
Coefficient of Uniformity 3.1 – 10.7
Physical Characteristics for Flyash as Pozzolana
Physical Characteristics for Flyash as Pozzolana
 Indian Roads Congress
Special Publication 58

Guidelines For Use Of

Flyash In Road
Embankment

Published in 2001
 Guidelines for Use of Fly ash in
Road Embankments
These guidelines provide salient details regarding design
and construction of road embankments using fly ash
• Site investigations
• Characterization of materials
• Detailed design
• Clearing and grubbing
• Stripping and storing top soil
• Setting out
• Dewatering
• Compacting the ground supporting embankment
• Handling and transportation of fly ash
• Spreading and compaction
Fly Ash for Road Embankment

Earth
Earth
Cover
Cover

Bottom ash or
Pond ash

Typical cross section of fly ash road embankment

 Bituminous Top
Shoulder

Granular Layer

0.5m
minimum
Selected FLYASH
Earth Cover

FLYASH 1-3m

FLYASH

Natural Ground Level

Typical cross section of fly ash road embankment

 Approach Embankment for Second
Nizamuddin Bridge at Delhi

– Length of embankment - 1.8 km

– Height varies from 6 to 9 m
– Ash utilized - 1,50,000 cubic metre
– Embankment opened to traffic in 1998
– Instrumentation installed in the
embankment showed very good
performance
– Approximate savings due to usage of fly
ash is about Rs.1.00 Crore
 Design Consideration

The following major factors weighted heavily while

designing the fly ash embankment

 Adverse site condition – location of site in

flood plain area

 Low specific gravity of fly ash- may lose

strength under submergence

 Non availability of specific data and

specifications of using fly ash as structural fill
 Approach Embankment for Nizamuddin Bridge

Slope stability analysis of fly ash embankment

(Different side cover thickness)
Details Factor of safety
Case I Case II
6 m high embankment, -- 1.05
1 m side cover throughout

1.5 m side cover throughout 1.30 1.20

2 m side cover upto mid height and 1.42 1.36

remaining portion 1 m cover

2 m side cover throughout 1.48 1.41

Case I Fly ash saturated upto mid height

Case II Fly ash saturated upto top level
Approach Embankment for Second
Nizamuddin Bridge at Delhi
 Spreading of pond ash

Second Nizamuddin Bridge Approach Embankment

Compaction of pond ash

 Stone pitching for slope
protection

Second Nizamuddin Bridge Approach Embankment

Traffic plying on the

embankment
 Approach Embankment for Nizamuddin Bridge

Instrumentation

Following instruments installed for

monitoring performance of
embankment
– Magnetic settlement gauges for
settlement
– Pressure cells for base pressure
– Pore pressure transducers for pore
water pressure measurement
 Installation of pressure
cells

Second Nizamuddin Bridge Approach Embankment

Installation of settlement
gauge under progress
 Approach Embankment for Nizamuddin Bridge

Inferences from instrumentation data

– No settlement of the embankment

structure (fly ash fill)
– No pressure variation with in
embankment body
– No change in saturation level of fly ash
fill
 Techno-Economic Advantages

• Direct saving of about Rs.One Crore in

second Nizamuddin Bridge project for PWD
• Additional savings to Vidyut Board, saving of
precious top soil
• In road projects savings to the extent of 15-20
per cent can be achieved
• Savings depend on cost of transportation of
fly ash
 Fly ash Embankment from G.T Road to Kajouri chowk, Delhi
0.6 m x 0.8 m
parapet wall
4.0 m
Foot
1.2
path Existing carriage way
.3 m (drain) 7.0 m
m
H.F.L ((drain)
2.0 Existing
1.5 Embankme
1 m
nt
6m 2.3 m Pond ash0.2 m Stone pitching to
0.5 m 1.6 m
be removed

1m 1.5 Ground level

m

0.15 m, M15
Weep holes at 1- Parameter Pond ash Earth cover Sub soil
concrete 2m c/c
Filter 0.2 m, thick bulk 1.56 kg/cm2 2.0 kg/cm2 1.8 kg/cm2
Stone pitching, 0.3 m thick
c 0 0.15 kg/cm2 0

Intermediate soil layers  33o 28o 30o

(0.2 m compacted
thickness)

Sat.condition Factor of safety

With Earthquake Without Earthquake
At H.F.L 1.06 1.7
Sudden 1.2 1.35
drawdown
Filter material by the side of toe wall
Stone pitching on filter material
Drainage system in the embankment
 USE OF POND ASH FOR ROAD
EMBANKMENT
(Four-laning work on NH-6, Dankuni to Kolaghat,
Km 17 to 72, West Bengal)
 Four-laning work on NH-6, Dankuni to Kolaghat,

AGENCIES INVOLVED

• National Highways Authority of India – Client

• M/s ICT, India and SNC-LALALIN,Canada –Consultant

• M/s Road builders (M) Shd.Bhd, Malaysia - Contractor

 Four-laning work on NH-6, Dankuni to Kolaghat,

TYPICAL ROAD FEATURES/CONDITIONS

OF THE PROPOSED ROAD

• Length of road - 60 km
• Height of embankment - 2 to 4 m
• Water logged conditions
• Soft sub-soil conditions
 Four-laning work on NH-6, Dankuni to Kolaghat,

Existing
carriage 
way

Typical Cross-section of Existing

Highway
 Four-laning work on NH-6, Dankuni to Kolaghat,

EXISTING CONDITION OF ROAD

 Four-laning work on NH-6, Dankuni to Kolaghat,

EXISTING CONDITION OF ROAD OTHER

SIDE
 Four-laning work on NH-6, Dankuni to Kolaghat,

PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION AND

ASSESSMENT OF SITE CONDITIONS
• Medium to High rainfall
• Water table is high
• Waterlogged conditions

• Subsoil generally weak

– Silty clay or clayey soil up to 20 m depth
– SPT values in the range of 2 to 5
– C = 0.25 kg/cm2,  = 0o
 Four-laning work on NH-6, Dankuni to Kolaghat,

NEED FOR ALTERNATIVE MATERIAL

• Earth proposed in contract document.

 Earth requirement –approx. 2.0 million cum.
• Haul distance more than 100 km.
• High transportation cost
• Delays expected in the completion of the
project
 Four-laning work on NH-6, Dankuni to Kolaghat,

LABORATORY AND FIELD

INVESTIGATIONS
• Characterisation of soil and fly ash
• Sub-soil investigations
• Stability analysis with soil and fly ash as fill materials
• Evaluation of data to arrive at appropriate
methodologies for construction
 Four-laning work on NH-6, Dankuni to Kolaghat,

ARRANGEMENT FOR DEWATERING OF

STAGNANT WATER
 Four-laning work on NH-6, Dankuni to Kolaghat,

CONDITION OF THE GROUND AFTER

DEWATERING
 Four-laning work on NH-6, Dankuni to Kolaghat,

PROPOSED ALTERNATIVES FOR

CONSTRUCTION

Median Improved Subgrade of compacted thickness not less than 50 cm

Granular sub-base

Soil cover (1.5 m thick)

Fly ash in compacted

2 Min.
layers of 200 mm
0.5 m
Existing thickness 1
embankment
2m 2m

Sand or bottom ash min. 0.5

m thick

Temporary pond ash

Proposed berm of pond ash bund
Geotextile after completion of
embankment
 Four-laning work on NH-6, Dankuni to Kolaghat,

SPREADING OF GEOTEXTILE
OVER SOFT GROUND
 Four-laning work on NH-6, Dankuni to Kolaghat,

SPREADING OF GEOTEXTILE
OVER SOFT GROUND
 Four-laning work on NH-6, Dankuni to Kolaghat,

SPREADING OF FLY ASH OVER

GEOTEXTILE
 Four-laning work on NH-6, Dankuni to Kolaghat,

SPREADING OF FLY ASH OVER

GEOTEXTILE
 Four-laning work on NH-6, Dankuni to Kolaghat,

COMPACTION OF FLY ASH OVER

GEOTEXTILE LAID ON SOFT
GROUND, (WORK ON THIS PROJECT
IS IN PROGRESS)
Kalindi Road Project
SCPT Test In Progress
General Site Condition
Subsoil Investigation in
Progress
Reinforced Fly ash Embankment
• Fly ash - better backfill material for reinforced
embankments
• Polymeric reinforcing materials - Geogrids,
friction ties, geotextiles
• Construction sequence - similar to reinforced
earth structures
Okhla Flyover Approach Embankment

– First geogrid reinforced fly ash approach

embankment constructed in the country
– Length of embankment - 59 m
– Height varied from 5.9 to 7.8 m
– Ash utilised - 2,700 cubic metre
– Opened to traffic in 1996
– Performance has been very good
Okhla Flyover Approach Embankment
Filter M edium G eogrids
Facing Panels

Pond Ash Fill

7.8 m
to 5.9 m

7.8 m
R einforced Foundation Mattress
of B ottom ash
 Erection of facing panels

Okhla Flyover Approach Embankment

Rolling of pond ash

 Support provided to
facing panels during
construction

Okhla Flyover Approach Embankment

Laying of geogrids
Hanuman Setu Flyover Approach Embankment

– Geogrid reinforced fly ash approach

embankment
– Length of embankment - 138.4 m
– Height varied from 3.42 m to 1.0 m
– Opened to traffic in 1997
Reinforced Retaining Wall at
Sarita Vihar Flyover
 Sarita Vihar Flyover Approach
Embankment

– Length of embankment - 90m

– Max height - 5.25 m
– Embankment opened to traffic in
Feb 2001
– Polymeric friction ties used for
reinforcement
 Laying of friction ties

Sarita Vihar Flyover Reinforced Approach Embankment

Arrangement of friction
ties before laying pond
ash
 Compaction of pond
ash using static and
vibratory rollers

Sarita Vihar Flyover Reinforced Approach Embankment

Compaction using
plate vibrator near the
facing panels
Design of Reinforced Flyash
Embankment
• Height of Wall – 8m
• Reinforcing Material – Geogrid
• Back Fill – Soil and Flyash
• Design of Wall- BS 8006-1995
• Checks made- Internal and External Stability
- F.S. against Sliding
- F.S. against overturning
- F.S against bearing capacity
- F.S. against rupture
- F.S. against pullout
 No of Layers = 16 No of Layers = 12

7.4
6.8 7
6.2 6.2
5.6

Vertical Sp acing (m)

Vertical Spacing (m)

5.4
5
4.4 4.6

Soil 3.8
3.4 Fly Ash 3.8
3 3.2
2.6 2.6
2.2
1.8 2
1.4 1.4
1
0.6 0.8
0.2 0.2
0 2 4 6 8 0 2 4 6 8
Length of geogrid (m)
Length of geogrid (m)

F.S. Sliding 1.97 2.18

F.S. Overturning 4.10 4.50
Bearing Pressure 259 KN/m2 179 KN/m2
Slope Failure of High Embankment of
Noida- Greater Noida Expressway
 Noida-Greater Noida Expressway

Salient features of site

• Height of embankment
varies from 3m to8m
• Approximately 23 km
stretch
• Six Lane Carriageway
with Median
• Side shoulders – 1.5m
Paved & 1m Unpaved
• Flyash covered with Good Earth
Cross-Section Proposed for NOIDA-
GREATER NOIDA Express Highway
 Causes and types of
Failure
• Heavy Runoff from six lane
carriageway discharged water on
side slopes
•Sandy Silty soil was used as
cover without proper slope
protection
•Severe Erosion on superelevated
sections
• Absence of longitudinal kerb
channel and chutes allowed water
to drain off along slope
 Types of Failure

• Failures observed
on both sides of
slope
•More pronounced on
d/s side
•Deep cavities were
observed exposing
fly ash at many
locations
• Undermining caused
caving in of road
pavement
 Causes of
Failure
• Heavy flow of
water intersected
side slopes
inspite of grass
turfing
•Deep pits in slope
to provide
foundation for
crash barrier and
electric poles
•Pits were loosely
backfilled
Immediate Preventive
Measures

• Prevention of flow of
water in side slopes by
providing soil filled up
bags through out the
slope
•Filling of soil in erosion
gullies
•Filling of soil filled
bags in deep cavities
 Long Term Remedial
Measures
• Compaction of Side Slopes
• Provision of Toe Walls
• Provision of Kerb Channel
• Provision of Chutes
• Provision of drains in Medians
• Provision of Stone Pitching along with Filter
(Granular/Geotextile)
Remedial Measures
IRC Guidelines / Specifications
Guidelines available on pavement construction
IRC 60 ‘Tentative guidelines for use of lime fly
ash concrete as pavement base or subbase’
IRC 68 ‘Tentative guidelines on cement fly
ash concrete for rigid pavement construction’
IRC 74 ‘Tentative guidelines for lean cement
concrete and lean cement fly ash concrete as
a pavement base or subbase’
IRC 88 ‘Recommended practice for lime fly
ash stabilised soil as base or subbase in
pavement construction’
 Conclusions
• Ideally suited as back fill material for urban/
industrial areas and areas with weak sub soils
• Higher shear strength leads to greater stability
• Design is similar to earth embankments
• Intermediate soil layers for ease of construction
and to provide confinement
• Side slope erosion needs to be controlled by
providing soil cover
• Can be compacted under inclement weather
conditions
• Use of vibratory rollers is preferred
 In road projects savings to the extent of 15-25 per
cent can be achieved. Savings depend on cost of
transportation of fly ash
 Coarse ash is suitable as a fill material, finer part of
the ash (fly ash) collected in dry form can be used
to replace cement
 Fly ash collection and handling techniques need to
be improved
 Use of ash for all road projects in the vicinity of
thermal power plant should be made mandatory
 Conservation of conventional construction
materials is possible by adopting fly ash for road
construction
Thank you