Patent ID: 8007581

Claim:
A process for constructing a load-bearing structure incorporating drilling cuttings, said structure having a shape and a size and containing a continuous portion having a cross-sectional area at least as large as the area of a circle having a diameter of 101 millimeters, said process comprising operations of: (1) forming a particulate mixture comprising drilling cuttings; and (2) at least one of groups (2.1) and (2.2) of suboperations, said group (2.1) comprising suboperations of: (2.1.1) mixing said particulate mixture comprising drilling cuttings with at least one stabilizer selected from the group consisting of: (A) quicklime; (B) hydrated lime; (C) Portland Cement; (D) Class C fly ash; (E) cement kiln dust; (F) lime kiln dust; (G) Class F fly ash; and (H) other pozzolans to form a cementitious second mixture, (2.1.2) forming said cementitious second mixture into the shape and size of the load-bearing structure and developing structural strength within said shaped and sized second mixture by pozzolanic reaction to form said load-bearing structure, said load-bearing structure having sufficient resistance to rutting that any rut formed in such surface by 10,000 applications of a single axle load of 18,000 pounds will have a depth of rutting that is less than 1 inch; and said group (2.2) comprising suboperations of: (2.2.1) mixing said particulate mixture comprising drilling cuttings with at least one of foamed asphalt and emulsified asphalt to form an asphaltic second mixture; (2.2.2) forming said asphaltic second mixture into the shape and size of the load- bearing structure; and developing structural strength within the shaped and sized asphaltic second mixture by curing, said load-bearing structure having sufficient resistance to rutting that any rut formed in such surface by 10,000 applications of a single axle load of 18,000 pounds will have a depth of rutting that is less than 1 inch.