Long-term effects of Cement Kiln Dust (CKD) on erosion control of a soil slope

Abstract

ABSTRACT Cement kiln dust (CKD) is a significant fine powdery material generated from the Portland cement manufacturing process. The United States environmental protection agency (EPA) declared that using CKD is not harmful to humans’ health and the environment. The primary usage of CKD is recycled back into the cement kiln as raw feed. CKD has various applications such as water treatment, waste disposal, agriculture, construction, soil stabilization, and erosion control of the natural or human-made slopes. An experimental study of CKD’s effect on engineering properties was done on a natural slope in New Mexico, USA, in 2008. Consequently, Atterberg limits, compaction characteristics, unconfined compressive strength, and pH were determined for the native soil and the treated soil with CKD. Based on the result, it was observed that CKD was one of the cost-effective methods of erosion control of slopes. However, CKD’s time and environmental effects are important factors that should be addressed carefully. This study mainly focuses on the influence of time on erosion control of the slope stabilized by CKD after eleven years. Long-term monitoring of the slope showed that CKD is still reducing soil erosion.