Evaluation, Beneficiation, and Implementation of Alternative Concrete Pozzolans for Transportation Infrastructure

This study will evaluate, improve, and facilitate the use and field implementation of two new, low-cost, and locally available supplementary cementitious material (SCM) sources that can be used for producing high-performance concrete. First is the fluidized bed combustion (FBC) fly ash that is widely produced (3+ million tons/year) in Pennsylvania and West Virginia as a result of environmental cleanup of waste coal piles in the region by FBC electric power utilities. Second is the low purity kaolinite clay that is intermixed with glacial deposits of sand and gravel within the region (PA, MD, VA). Aggregate producers need to wash off this clay, which can be retrieved, calcined, and used as a quality SCM for concrete. While they are cheap and locally abundant, these SCM resources have not been previously used in concrete, their properties and performance are largely unknown, and as such, they are not included in DOT specifications in the region. This study will address these gaps by providing reliable data on the performance of these materials, developing guidelines and draft specifications, and educating and connecting practitioners and stakeholders on proper testing and utilization of these valuable concrete pozzolans.