Industrial wastes for soil stabilization

Soil stabilization is an important geotechnical engineering method designed to enhance the engineering properties of soil, including its strength, durability, and load-bearing capacity. These improvements are essential for the effective implementation of infrastructure projects, including roadways, embankments, foundations, and airfields. Traditional methods of stabilizing soil usually involve adding materials like cement, lime, or bitumen to soft and expansive clay soils. Although effective, these traditional technologies are frequently economically unfeasible and ecologically unsustainable due to their substantial energy demands and carbon emissions. Recent studies have looked at using industrial by-products-like fly ash, blast furnace slag, red mud, bagasse ash, and cement kiln dust (CKD)-as alternative stabilizers in order to lower the environmental impact of conventional materials and cut costs. Often considered as environmental liabilities, these industrial byproducts can have major technical benefits when used for soil stabilization projects. This integration reduces landfill use and promotes recycling, so it follows ideas of the circular economy. This chapter aims to review conventional and innovative stabilization methods, evaluate industrial waste and their stabilization procedures, compile worldwide laboratory and field case studies, and offer technical and financial evaluations. It concludes with policies, research gaps, and prospective directions.