Evaluation of mechanical and safety properties of stabilized road base with a combination of activated alkali slag and nanoparticles

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Imam Hossein (AS) University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of combining alkali-activated slag and nanosilica on improving the mechanical properties of soil with the aim of increasing safety and strengthening soil roads. The present study was conducted by performing uniaxial compression and compressive strength tests on soil samples containing different amounts of slag (5 to 30% of soil dry weight) and nanosilica (0.5 to 2% of soil dry weight). The results show that the optimal combination of 25% alkali-activated slag with 2% nanosilica has the greatest effect on improving soil properties.
According to the findings, adding the optimal slag causes a 23% increase in dry specific gravity and 18% in optimal moisture, while nanosilica improves soil flexibility and prevents cracking by creating a more porous structure. In terms of the strength, the samples containing the optimal combination showed a 56-57% increase in strength compared to the control samples after the 28 days of curing.

Keywords


  • Received Date: 18 May 2025
  • Received Date: 21 June 2025
  • Accepted Date: 13 August 2025
  • Published Date: 23 July 2025