Using Alkali-Activated Cementitious Materials to Solidify High Organic Matter Content Dredged Sludge as Roadbed Material

It is difficult to treat dredged sludge with high organic matter content by solidification. A new solidification of dredged sludge with high organic matter content was developed, using cement, fly ash, slag, and phosphogypsum as a solidifier and strong oxidant KMnO4 and GH as additives, to improve the engineering performance of dredged sludge and make it as a roadbed material possible. The properties of the solidified samples were determined in terms of unconfined compressive strength, products of hydration, toxicity characteristics, water stability, freeze-thaw resistance, and volume stability. The microstructure and hydration products of the dredged sludge after solidification were evaluated by X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and thermogravimetry-differential scanning calorimetry analysis. Experimental results showed that the strength of the solidified samples has been significantly improved after treatment by strong oxidants. The effect of GH is better than that of KMnO4. Hydration products (ettringite) were well formed. After solidification by using the binders and strong oxidant GH, the samples had sufficient strength and good water stability performance, freeze-thaw resistance performance, and volume stability performance. The leach liquid of the dredged sludge solidified body meets the standard requirements. So, the dredged sludge after solidification can reach the requirement of the roadbed material.