Experimental and numerical analysis of metal leaching from fly ash-amended highway bases

A study was conducted to evaluate the leaching potential of unpaved road materials (URM) mixed with lime activated high carbon fly ashes and to evaluate groundwater impacts of barium, boron, copper, and zinc leaching. This objective was met by a combination of batch water leach tests, column leach tests, and computer modeling. The laboratory tests were conducted on soil alone, fly ash alone, and URM–fly ash–lime kiln dust mixtures. The results indicated that an increase in fly ash and lime content has significant effects on leaching behavior of heavy metals from URM–fly ash mixture. An increase in fly ash content and a decrease in lime content promoted leaching of Ba, B and Cu whereas Zn leaching was primarily affected by the fly ash content. Numerically predicted field metal concentrations were significantly lower than the peak metal concentrations obtained in laboratory column leach tests, and field concentrations decreased with time and distance due to dispersion in soil vadose zone.

► This study is the evaluation of leaching potential of fly ash–lime mixed soils.
► This objective is met with experimental and numerical analysis.
► Zn leaching decreases with increase in fly ash content while Ba, B, Cu increases.
► Decrease in lime content promoted leaching of Ba, B and Cu while Zn increases.
► Numerical analysis predicted lower field metal concentrations.