EFFECT OF USING COPPER SLAG AS A BACKFILL IN RETAINING WALL

M.Sathya, B.Shanmugavalli

Abstract: Copper slag is obtained as a waste product after undergoing several industrial processes in Sterlite Industries. This slag is currently being used for many purposes like land filling, construction of abrasive tools, roofing granules, cutting tools and rail road ballast material etc. Since copper slag has higher shear strength and density, it can be used as backfill material in retaining walls. This study mainly aims to stabilize slope in retaining walls against seismic forces using copper slag as backfill material and also presents the results of shaking table tests on model rigid face reinforced soil retaining wall in the laboratory. The influence of copper slag backfill on the seismic response was studied through a series of laboratory model test on retaining wall and also compared with sand results. The wall constructed with copper slag backfill showed lesser faces deformations and lower at higher base excitation. Here the influence of copper slag on lateral earth pressure and displacement on retaining wall was studied for various proportions from 0% to 100%. The results obtained from this study are helpful in understanding the dynamic performance of copper slag and sand backfill, when subjected seismic lateral earth pressure.

Keywords: Copper slag, backfill, earth pressure, shake table, seismic, retaining wall

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15623/ijret.2014.0309058