Blast furnace slag in road construction and maintenance

Abstract

Introduction. There is a global trend to increase the sustainability of road construction and maintenance technologies. The growing use of various industrial by-products as economical and eco-friendly construction and maintenance techniques can be observed in many countries.Problem Statement. The utilization of various forms of blast furnace slag in the road sector can be cost effective, however, several special technological measures have to be taken.PurposePresenting best practices for the use of blast furnace slag in road construction and maintenance techniques based on Hungarian and other decade-long experiences.Materials and Methods. The main types investigated are air-cooled blast furnace slag, expanded or foamed slag, pelletized slag, and granulated blast furnace slag. The utilization areas in road sector: asphalt layers, surface treatments, rut repair, hydraulically bound pavement layers, unbound base layers, frost protection layer, subgrade, cement production.Results. Presenting best practices for the use of blast furnace slag in road construction and maintenance can be beneficial for the experts of countries with limited experience in the field. Keywords: blast furnace slag, industrial by-products, road construction, road maintenance, environmental protection