Estudo de viabilidade técnica da utilização de cinzas de eucalipto na sub-base de pavimentos rodoviários

Abstract

Brazil is endowed with vast cultivable areas and has a climate conducive to biomass production through reforestation, making it a country with great potential for using wood in different sectors, such as paper industries, thermoelectric power plants, sawmills, charcoal, and energy production, among others. With approximately 7.4 million hectares of planted eucalyptus forests, the predominance of this species in commercial wood exploitation is evident. However, the improper disposal of waste, such as ashes resulting from burning, leads to environmental problems, including air pollution and soil contamination. The overall objective of this work was to analyze the influence of adding eucalyptus ashes to a silty-clay soil for composing pavement sub-base, by studying its physical and mechanical properties in order to contribute to the sustainable final disposal of the material. The results obtained in the research confirmed that it is possible to use eucalyptus ashes in the analyzed soil, which is classified as weak behavior material in the subgrade. With the addition of ashes, the soil exhibited higher mechanical strength compared to the soil without addition. The analysis indicated that the ideal ash percentages were in the range of 3% to 9%, with the mixture containing 6% standing out, while the 9% mixture showed a decrease in strength, although still higher than the soil without addition.