Introductory Paragraph:
Steel Slag Road technology, an innovative construction method invented by the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), New Delhi, in partnership with the Ministry of Steel and major steel making corporations, is contributing substantially to the ‘Waste to Wealth’ mission. This groundbreaking technology is reshaping the road construction industry while addressing the environmental consequences of steel slag waste.
Understanding Steel Slag Road Technology
Steel slag road technology is a new technique that uses steel slag—the waste produced during steel manufacturing—to create stronger, more enduring roads. This method involves treating the steel slag to eliminate impurities and metal content, then utilizing it as aggregate for road base or sub-base layers. The processed steel slag exhibits high strength, hardness, abrasion resistance, skid resistance, and drainage capacity, making it perfect for road building. It enables efficient management of the approximately 19 million tonnes of steel slag generated by Indian steel plants and heralds a significant step towards large-scale utilization of waste steel slag.
Benefits of Steel Slag Road Technology
The technology provides an eco-friendly method of handling industrial waste by employing waste steel slag in road construction. This not only lightens the load on landfills but also minimizes the ecological impact linked to steel slag disposal. Moreover, roads built using steel slag have proven to be cost-effective, about 30% cheaper than conventional methods, and exhibit excellent durability with dramatically reduced maintenance costs. Also, the technology eliminates reliance on natural resources like ballast and aggregates, thus conserving these valuable resources and preserving natural ecosystems.
Dealing with Steel Slag Waste
India, being the world’s second-largest steel producer, generates around 19 million tonnes of steel slag as solid waste, a figure projected to rise to an alarming 60 million tonnes by 2030. Inept disposal methods have led to the accumulation of enormous slag mounds around steel plants, leading to water, air, and land pollution.
Successful Implementations of Steel Slag Road Technology
The first road constructed using the Steel Slag Road technology in Surat, Gujarat, has been recognized for its technological superiority. This success was replicated at the India-China border, where a road was built using this technology by the Border Roads Organization, Tata Steel, and CRRI. The project showcased the technology’s adaptability to challenging topographies and critical national infrastructure.
Driving Widespread Adoption of the Technology
The successful implementation of Steel Slag Road technology has piqued the interest of various governmental bodies and ministries. Collaboratively working with the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the Ministry of Steel is championing the nationwide adoption of this technology.
Waste to Wealth Mission
This mission aims at identifying, developing, and implementing technologies to process waste into energy, recycle materials, and extract worth. It is one of the nine national missions of the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC), and will add to the Swachh Bharat and Smart Cities projects to form circular economic models that are financially sound for waste management and streamline waste handling in the country.
