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ICTD 2026

Sustainable Transportation

POSTER RECEPTION (View list of posters here)

Utilization of Chemically Treated Bauxite Ore Residue as a Sustainable Material for Pavement Infrastructure

Tuesday, June 30, 2026
4:45 PM - 6:00 PM East Coast USA Time
Abstract: During aluminum production, bauxite ore is chemically processed, generating a waste byproduct known as Red Mud (RM). RM being a highly alkaline material, having a pH greater than 11, poses significant challenges for storage, transportation, and reuse. Developing alternative solutions for the reuse of RM could offer a sustainable solution for both the mining and construction industries. Therefore, a research program was designed and performed to explore the potential of chemically treated RM as a subgrade material for pavement infrastructure. The RM was chemically treated using a saline solution with a concentration of 35g/L at a rate of 20L per kg to reduce the alkalinity before reuse. Subsequently, an array of engineering tests including unconfined compressive strength and resilient modulus tests was performed on both untreated and treated soils to compare and understand the mechanical performance. The chemical treatment showed that the saline solution was able to neutralize the high pH and transform the hazardous material into a workable subgrade material. Consequently, engineering studies indicated that, due to chemical neutralization, there is a significant improvement in strength as compared to untreated materials. Additionally, chemical neutralization also affected the stiffness and modified the resilient modulus properties for the treated soils. Overall, this study shows a preliminary understanding that harmful mining residues such as RM, could be potentially reused as an alternative construction material for long-term durable and sustainable pavement infrastructure design.

Learning Objectives:

Attendees can expect to learn the following from this session:
  • Upon completion, participants would be able to describe the origin, properties, and handling risks of Red Mud (RM) and the sustainability rationale for its reuse in pavement subgrades.
  • Upon completion, participants would be able to analyze unconfined compressive strength and resilient modulus results for untreated vs. treated RM to determine how chemical neutralization affects strength and stiffness.
  • Upon completion, participants would be able to evaluate the feasibility of using treated RM as a subgrade material and formulate a preliminary acceptance plan for transportation infrastructure.