Use of municipal solid waste incineration fly ash in concrete

With a view of reducing the quantities to be landfilled, the Solvay Company has been working on the development of a new physicochemical treatment for municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ashes: the Revasol process. This process allows reducing the soluble fraction, fixing heavy metals and eliminating dioxins. This article reports on the characteristics of a treated ash and on its use in concrete. For the latter point, three characteristics were chosen: the compressive strength and the durability of the hardened concrete and its behavior to leaching. From mechanical and durable points of view, the ash incorporated in the concrete behaves like ordinary sand. The leaching tests carried out on the concrete confirm that the process makes it possible to obtain materials without major risks for the environment. Also, these results as a whole suggest that the use of waste in concrete constitutes a potential means of adding value.