Strength and micro-structural characteristics of carbide slag inspired slag-fly ash cured dredged sludge

The curing agent used to enhance and harden dredged sludge from urban rivers was formulated from industrial waste materials, including carbide slag, blast furnace slag, fly ash, and cement. Laboratory tests were conducted to examine the compressive strengths of the sludge samples after 7, 14, and 28 days of curing. Additionally, X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis were employed to examine the formation and microstructure distribution characteristics of the solidified sludge products. These methods also provided insights into the synergistic curing mechanism of the cement-carbide slag-slag-fly ash composite system. The findings demonstrated that the following ratio of curing agent to cement: carbide slag: slag: fly ash = 10 : 5 : 7 : 3 is the ideal one.