Strength and Deformation Characteristics of Electric Arc Furnace Slag as Ballast Aggregate

The accumulation of waste by-products, such as steel slag, has become a significant environmental concern in waste management. In recent years, the reuse of waste materials in structural fills and pavement subbase materials has increased as part of efforts to promote sustainable waste recycling. On this basis evaluating potential alternative for railway ballast materials is valuable, particularly from the prospective of mechanical performance. This study examines the potential of EAF slag as a railway ballast material through a comprehensive series of laboratory tests, including physical and mechanical evaluations. Monotonic and cyclic triaxial tests are performed to evaluate its shear strength and permanent deformation characteristics under field representative stress condition. The performance of EAF slag is subsequently compared with various ballast materials reported in the literature. The results indicate that the EAF slag meets the standards established by major countries. Additionally, its performance aligns with previously published data for natural aggregate ballast materials, demonstrating promising shear strength, less permanent deformation, and improved stiffness under repeated loading.