The goals are to develop new solutions to the problems of combustion waste management, in close association with industry, and in so doing overcoming institutional, environmental and technical barriers to coal utilization. Part of the project involves leaching studies under natural weathering conditions, using a four-chambered field lysimeter, with about 65 tons of material per chamber.
Laboratory investigations use leaching columns to simulate the field studies.
A specific objective is to try to develop low-cost, predictive methods for assessing leaching properties. The geotechnical characteristics of these materials are being investigated in partnership with UK's Civil Engineering and Transportation Research programs. The work addresses the effects of weathering on physical properties to assist in the design of safe and stable landfills. This project has been instrumental in determining the key mineralogical transformations which the materials undergo during weathering. Another part of the project is concerned with the production of artificial aggregate via pelletization.