Suitability of Remediated PFAS-Affected Soil in Cement Pastes and Mortars

Andras Fehervari, Will P. Gates, Chathuranga Gallage and Frank Collins
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Andras Fehervari: Institute for Frontier Materials, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Hwy, Burwood 3125, Australia
Will P. Gates: Institute for Frontier Materials, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Hwy, Burwood 3125, Australia
Chathuranga Gallage: Institute for Frontier Materials, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Hwy, Burwood 3125, Australia
Frank Collins: Institute for Frontier Materials, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Hwy, Burwood 3125, Australia

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 10, 1-19

Abstract: Australia and many other parts of the world face issues of contamination in groundwater and soils by per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). While the pyrolytic treatment of contaminated soils can destroy PFAS, the resulting heat-treated soils currently have limited applications. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the usefulness of remediated soils in concrete applications. Using heat-treated soil as a fine aggregate, with a composition and particle size distribution similar to that of traditional concrete sands, proved to be a straightforward process. In such situations, complete fine aggregate replacement could be achieved with minimal loss of compressive strength. At high fine aggregate replacement (≥ 60%), a wetting agent was required for maintaining adequate workability. When using the heat-treated soil as a supplementary cementitious material, the initial mineralogy, the temperature of the heat-treatment and the post-treatment storage (i.e., keeping the soil dry) were found to be key factors. For cement mortars where minimal strength loss is desired, up to 15% of cement can be replaced, but up to 45% replacement can be achieved if moderate strengths are acceptable. This study successfully demonstrates that commercially heat-treated remediated soils can serve as supplementary cementitious materials or to replace fine aggregates in concrete applications.

Keywords: PFAS; remediated soil; fine aggregate replacement; supplementary cementitious material; low CO 2 concrete; sustainable concrete; green concrete; pyrolysis; aggregate shortage (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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