Wei, Wei, Wei, Mingli, Wei, Yifan, Yin, Fei, Zhao, Ying, Zhang, Tingting and Jin, Fei  ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0899-7063
2026.
Reuse of oxidatively remediated petroleum-contaminated soil as flowable fill: Solidification mechanisms and performance evaluation.
Journal of Cleaner Production
568
, 148659.
10.1016/j.jclepro.2026.148659
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Abstract
This study developed a flowable fill using oxidatively remediated petroleum-contaminated soil stabilized with cement and bentonite. The fluidity, strength, permeability, durability, leaching behavior, and microstructural characteristics of the material were systematically evaluated. Results showed that a cement-to-bentonite ratio of 5:4 and a binder dosage of 10-15% yielded suitable fluidity (140-200 mm). After 14 days of curing, the solidified specimens met the key engineering criteria for subgrade backfill, with an unconfined compressive strength exceeding 0.80 MPa and a hydraulic conductivity below 1 × 10−7 cm/s. Mineralogical and microstructural analyses revealed that hydration products (C-S-H/C-A-S-H) effectively improved the soil fabric, whereas residual oxidants and hydrocarbons in the remediated soil led to a slightly more porous structure and marginally lower mechanical performance than that of the solidified virgin soil. Supplementary tests using natural soil confirmed that the optimized cement-bentonite formulation remained applicable under more realistic soil conditions. TCLP results further showed low leaching concentrations of extractable petroleum hydrocarbons (C10-C40) and dissolved Fe, while hydrogen peroxide was not detected in the leachates of remediated-soil-based specimens. In addition, the solidified material showed good durability under wetting-drying cycles, maintaining structural integrity and acceptable performance. This study provides a practical waste-to-resource pathway that can reduce the disposal burden of remediated soil while decreasing the demand for virgin construction materials.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Date Type: | Publication |
| Status: | Published |
| Schools: | Schools > Engineering |
| Additional Information: | RRS policy applied |
| Publisher: | Elsevier |
| ISSN: | 0959-6526 |
| Date of First Compliant Deposit: | 22 June 2026 |
| Date of Acceptance: | 31 May 2026 |
| Last Modified: | 22 Jun 2026 08:30 |
| URI: | https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/187610 |
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