The possibility of using bottom ash from municipal solid waste incineration plants in Vietnam as road base material

Abstract

Recently, the Vietnamese Government has encouraged the use of advanced municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration technology for power generation, which is being increasingly applied. However, bottom ash generated from MSW incinerators is often discarded as waste and sent to landfills, resulting in a significant waste of resources. This paper presents the findings of a study conducted by the authors in 2023 - 2024 to assess the feasibility of using bottom ash from MSW incineration plants in Vietnam as road base material. Bottom ash samples were collected from the Xuan Son MSW Incineration Plant. Laboratory tests, conducted according to Vietnamese standards (TCVN ) and ASTM guidelines, were used to evaluate the physical and mechanical properties of both the bottom ash and bottom ash - cement mixtures with cement content of 4%, 6% and 8%. The research results showed that the hazardous waste content in the bottom ash was below the allowable threshold specified in QCVN 07:2009. The particle composition of the bottom ash was classified as group A - 1 according to AASHTO M145 - 91 (2004), which is considered suitable for subgrade construction. Furthermore, the mixture of bottom ash with 6% cement met the strength requirements for subbase layers of IV - VI grade roads, while the mixture with 8% cement satisfied the strength requirements for base layers of IV - VI grade roads.