Influence of Strip Footing Resting on Geogrid Reinforced Induction Furnace Slag Beneath Silty Clay

Abstract

This research work was performed to understand the effect of bearing capacity of strip footing resting on reinforced and unreinforced Induction furnace slag with silty clay layer below. The parameters investigated to the study are H/B (Top granular layer thickness), u/B (location of the first layer of reinforcement to level of footing), h/B (vertical spacing between consecutive geogrid layers to width of footing) b/B (width of the geogrid layer to width of footing). The effect of different values of N and H/B ratios on bearing capacity ratio (BCR) and settlement reduction ratio (SRR) are also investigated. The model tank test is carried out on silty clay soil; the ultimate bearing pressure of the soil obtained is 221.33 kN/m² at settlement of 98.45 mm. Induction slag is compacted at relative density of 60% and varying the H/B, u/B and h/B values (H/B = 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and h/B, u/B = 0.75, 0.5), model strip footing tests were performed on Induction furnace slag. The bearing pressure increases by 182% for H/B equal to 1.5 for Induction furnace slag compared with silty clay. The relative density is kept constant at 60% and H/B equal to 1.5 the geogrids are placed at interface and within the Induction slag layer (N = 1, 2, 3) and the tests were performed. The ultimate bearing pressure increases by 275%, 486% and 537% for N equal 1, 2 and 3, respectively. The BCR (bearing capacity ratio), SRR (settlement reduction ratio) and IF (improvement factor) are calculated for the same. The present research, the industrial waste products such as copper slag and induction furnace slag can be replaced with the conventional granular materials (gravel, sand) in highway subbase layer, reinforced earth walls as a structural fill and shall be used to improve the low bearing capacity areas.