Performance Evaluation of Coal Mine Overburden as a Potential Subballast Material in Railways with Additional Improvement Using Geocell
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 32, Issue 8
Abstract
Overburden (OB) generated from coal mining industries are a major source of environmental pollution as well as land degradation worldwide. Recycling of such waste products through effective application in the construction industry leading to environmental sustainability is the need of the hour. The present study focuses on the feasibility of recycling the OB as an alternate track subballast material. A series of tests have been conducted considering its shape, chemical composition, durability, stress–strain responses, and load-deformation behavior. Comparisons have been made with respect to standard subballast aggregates. It is observed that the OB can be used as a subballast material. The load-deformation behavior observed in the track model tests indicate that provision of geocell reinforcement can further enhance the performance of OB as subballast material.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support received by the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), Govt. of India, via the sponsored project YSS/2015/000222, for carrying out the research work.
References
ASTM. 2011a. Standard method for consolidated drained triaxial compression test for soils. ASTM D7181. West Conshochocken, PA: ASTM.
ASTM. 2011b. Standard test method for determining tensile properties of geogrids by the single or multi-rib tensile method. ASTM D6637. West Conshochocken, PA: ASTM.
ASTM. 2011c. Standard test method for direct shear test of soils under consolidated drained conditions. ASTM D3080. West Conshochocken, PA: ASTM.
ASTM. 2012. Standard test method for determining the shear strength of soil-geosynthetic and geosynthetic-geosynthetic interface by direct shear. ASTM D5321. West Conshochocken, PA: ASTM.
ASTM. 2014. Standard test method for strength of sewn or thermally bonded seams of geotextiles. ASTM D4884/D4884M. West Conshochocken, PA: ASTM.
ASTM. 2016. Standard test method for slake durability of shales and other similar weak rocks. ASTM D4644. West Conshochocken, PA: ASTM.
Banerjee, L., S. Chawla, and G. Bhandari. 2019. “Experimental and 3-D finite element analyses on geocell-reinforced embankments.” J. Test. Eval. 47 (3): 20170686. https://doi.org/10.1520/JTE20170686.
Biabani, M. M., and B. Indraratna. 2015. “An evaluation of the interface behaviour of rail subballast stabilised with geogrids and geomembranes.” Geotext. Geomembr. 43 (3): 240–249. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geotexmem.2015.04.002.
Chawla, S., and J. T. Shahu. 2016. “Reinforcement and mud-pumping benefits of geosynthetics in railway tracks: Model tests.” Geotext. Geomembr. 44 (3): 366–380. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geotexmem.2016.01.005.
Christie, D. 2007. “Bulli field trial: Vertical and lateral pressure measurement.” In Proc., Rail CRC Seminar. Wollongong, Australia: Univ. of Wollongong.
Dash, S. K. 2012. “Effect of geocell type on load carrying mechanism of geocell reinforced sandfoundations.” Int. J. Geomech. 12 (5): 537–548. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0000162,537-548.
Dash, S. K., N. R. Krishnaswamy, and K. Rajagopal. 2001. “Bearing capacity of strip footings supported on geocell-reinforced sand.” Geotext. Geomembr. 19 (4): 235–256. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0266-1144(01)00006-1.
Dash, S. K., P. D. Reddy, and S. T. G. Raghukanth. 2008. “Subgrade modulus of geocell-reinforced sand foundations.” Ground Improv. 161 (2): 79–87. https://doi.org/10.1680/grim.2008.161.2.79.
Dash, S. K., S. Sireesh, and T. G. Sitharam. 2003. “Model studies on circular footing supported on geocell reinforced sand underlain by soft clay.” Geotext. Geomembr. 21 (4): 197–219. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0266-1144(03)00017-7.
Desai, C. S., M. M. Zaman, and J. G. Lightner. 1984. “Thin layer element for interfaces and joints.” Int. J. Numer. Anal. Geomech. 8 (1): 19–43. https://doi.org/10.1002/nag.1610080103.
Gamble, J. C. 1971. “Durability-plasticity classification of shales and other argillaceos rocks.” Ph.D. thesis, Dept. of Geology, Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Gayana, B. C., and K. R. Chandar. 2018. “A study on suitability of iron ore overburden waste rock for partial replacement of coarse aggregates in concrete pavements.” Proc., IOP Conf. Ser: Mater. Sci. Eng. 431 (10): 102012. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/431/10/102012.
Guo, Y., V. Markine, J. Song, and G. Jing. 2018. “Ballast degradation: Effect of particle size and shape using Los Angeles Abrasion test and image analysis.” Const. Build. Mater. 169 (Apr): 414–424. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2018.02.170.
Gupta, A. K., and B. Paul. 2015. “A review on utilisation of coal mine overburden dump waste as underground mine filling material: A sustainable approach of mining.” Int. J. Min. Mineral Eng. 6 (2): 172–186. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJMME.2015.070380.
Han, J., S. K. Pokhrel, R. L. Parsons, D. Leshchinsky, and I. Halahmi. 2010. “Effect of infill material on the performance of Geocell Reinforced bases.” In Proc., 9th Int. Conf. on Geosynthetics, Geosynthetics for a Challenging World, 1503–1506. Brazil: Brazilian Chapter of the International Geosynthetics Society.
Hegde, A., and T. G. Sitharam. 2014. “Effect of infill materials on the performance of geocell reinforced soft clay beds.” Geomech. Geoeng. Int. J. 10 (3): 163–173. https://doi.org/10.1080/17486025.2014.921334.
Hussaini, S. K. K., B. Indraratna, and J. S. Vinod. 2012. “Performance of geosynthetically reinforcedrail ballast in direct shear conditions.” In Proc., 11th Australia New Zealand Conf. on Geomechanics: Ground Engineering in a Changing World. Engineers Australia, edited by G. A. Narsilo, A. Arulrajah, and J. Kodikara, 1268–1273. Melbourne, Australia: Engineers Australia.
Indraratna, B., M. M. Biabani, and S. Nimbalkar. 2015. “Behaviour of geocell reinforced subballast subjected to cyclic loading in plane strain condition.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 141 (1): 04014081. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0001199,04014081.
Indraratna, B., S. K. K. Hussaini, and J. S. Vinod. 2012. “On the shear behavior of ballast-geosynthetic interfaces.” Geotech. Test. J. 35 (2): 305–312. https://doi.org/10.1520/GTJ103317.
Indraratna, B., S. Nimbalkar, D. Christie, C. Rujikiatkamjorn, and J. Vinod. 2010. “Field assessment of the performance of a ballasted rail track with and without geosynthetics.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 136 (7): 907–917. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0000312.
Indraratna, B., Y. Qi, and A. Heitor. 2018. “Evaluating the properties of mixtures of steel furnace slag, coal wash, and rubber crumbs used as subballast.” J. Mater. Civ. Eng. 30 (1): 04017251. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0002108.
IRS-GE-2 (Final). 2005. Specification for mechanically produced blanketing material for railway formations including guidelines for laying. New Delhi, India: Ministry of Railways.
Koerner, R. M. 2005. Designing with geosynthetics. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Krumbein, W. C. 1941. “Measurement and geological significance of shape and roundness of sedimentary particles.” J. Sediment. Res. 11 (2): 64–72.
Krumbein, W. C., and L. L. Sloss. 1963. Stratigraphy and sedimentation. San Francisco: W.H. Freeman.
Lees, G. 1964. “The measurement of particle shape and its influence in engineering materials.” J. Br. Granite Whinstone Fed. 4 (2): 17–38.
Madhavi Latha, G., K. Rajagopal, and N. R. Krishnaswamy. 2006. “Experimental and theoretical investigations on geocell supported embankments.” Int. J. Geomech. 6 (1): 30–35. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1532-3641(2006)6:1(30).
Mandal, J. N., and P. Gupta. 1994. “Stability of geocell-reinforced soil.” Constr. Build. Mater. 8 (1): 55–62. https://doi.org/10.1016/0950-0618(94)90009-4.
Marachi, N. D., C. K. Chan, and H. B. Seed. 1972. “Evaluation of properties of rockfill materials.” J. Soil Mech. Found. Div. 98 (1): 95–114.
Marsal, R. J. 1967. “Large scale testing of rockfill material.” J. Soil Mech. Found. Div. 97 (2): 27–43.
Moaveni, M., S. Wang, J. Hart, E. Tutumluer, and N. Ahuja. 2013. “Evaluation of aggregate size and shape by means of segmentation techniques and aggregate image processing algorithms.” Trans. Res. Rec. 2335 (1): 50–59. https://doi.org/10.3141/2335-06.
Palmeira, E. M. 2016. “Sustainability and innovation in geotechnics: Contributions from geosynthetics.” Soils Rocks 39 (2): 113–135.
Pokharel, S. K., J. Han, D. Leshchinsky, R. L. Parsons, and I. Halahmi. 2010. “Investigation of factors influencing behaviour of single geocell reinforced bases under static loading.” Geotext. Geomembr. 28 (6): 570–578. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geotexmem.2010.06.002.
Powers, M. C. 1953. “A new roundness scale for sedimentary particles.” J. Sediment. Res. 23 (2): 117–119.
Raj, R., A. Singhal, and M. Kumar. 2018. “Effect of scaling of ballast particles on their morphological characteristics.” In Proc., Indian Geotech. Conf. (IGC). Bengaluru, India: Indian Geotechnical Society.
RDSO (Research Design and Standard Organisation). 2007. Guidelines for blanket layer provision on track formation. RDSO-GE-0011. New Delhi, India: Ministry of Railways.
Russell, R. D., and R. E. Taylor. 1937. “Roundness and shape of Mississippi River sands.” J. Geol. 45 (3): 225–267. https://doi.org/10.1086/624526.
Sahu, H. B., and S. Dash. 2011. “Land degradation due to mining in india and its mitigation measures.” In Vol. 6 of Proc., 2nd Int. Conf. on Environmental Science and Technology, 132–136. Hong Kong: Asia-Pacific Chemical, Biological & Environmental Engineering Society.
Skarżyńska, K. M. 1995. “Reuse of coal mining wastes in civil engineering—Part 1: Properties of minestone.” Waste Manage. (Oxford) 15 (1): 3–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/0956-053X(95)00004-J.
Stolboushkin, A. Y., A. I. Ivanov, G. I. Storozhenko, V. A. Syromyasov, and D. V. Akst. 2017. “Use of overburden rocks from open-pit coal mines and waste coals of Western Siberia for ceramic brick production with a defect-free structure.” Proc. IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci. 84 (1): 012045. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/84/1/012045.
Tasalloti, S. M. A., B. Indraratna, C. Rujikiatkamjorn, A. Heitor, and G. Chiaro. 2015. “A laboratory study on the shear behaviour of mixtures of coal wash and steel furnace slag as potential structural fill.” Geotech. Test. J. 38 (4): 20140047. https://doi.org/10.1520/GTJ20140047.
Tutumluer, E., H. Huang, Y. Hashash, and J. Ghaboussi. 2006. “Aggregate shape effects on ballast tamping and railroad track lateral stability.” In Proc., AREMA Annual Conf., 17–20. Louisville, KY: American Railway Engineering and Maintenance of Way Association.
Tutumluer, E., and T. Pan. 2008. “Aggregate morphology affecting strength and permanent deformation behavior of unbound aggregate materials.” J. Mater. Civ. Eng. 20 (9): 617–627. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0899-1561(2008)20:9(617).
Vesic, A. B. 1963. “Bearing capacity of deep foundation in sands.” Highway Res. Rec. 39: 112–153.
Webster, S. L., and J. E. Watkins. 1977. Investigation of construction techniques for tactical bridge approach roads across soft ground. Washington, DC: USACE.
Yudhbir, J., and R. Abedinzadeh. 1991. “Quantification of particle shape and angularity using the image analyzer.” Geotech. Test. J. 14 (3): 296–308. https://doi.org/10.1520/GTJ10574J.
Zhang, D., X. Huang, and Y. Zhao. 2014. “Numerical study on the effect of coarse-aggregate morphology on shear performance.” J. Test. Eval. 43 (3): 554–561. https://doi.org/10.1520/JTE20130067.
Zingg, T. 1935. “Beitrag zur Schotteranalyse.” Schweiz. Mineral. Petrogr. Mitt. Bd. 15: 39–140. https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-a-000103455.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 32 • Issue 8 • August 2020
Copyright
©2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 14, 2019
Accepted: Jan 22, 2020
Published online: May 23, 2020
Published in print: Aug 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Oct 23, 2020
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.