- 1School of Engineering and Digital Sciences, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan (rezat.abishev@nu.edu.kz)
- 2School of Engineering and Digital Sciences, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan (alfrendo.satyanaga@nu.edu.kz)
- 3School of Engineering and Digital Sciences, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan (sung.moon@nu.edu.kz)
- 4School of Engineering and Digital Sciences, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan (jong.kim@nu.edu.kz)
Abstract
Current research interest in geotechnical design for climate change adaptation focuses on
utilizing waste materials for slope stability against rainfall-induced failures. Therefore, steel
slag and recycled concrete were integrated into the retaining wall, known as the GeoBarrier
system (GBS), to prevent such failures. The present study investigated the feasibility of steel
slag as a coarse-grained material and recycled concrete as a fine-grained material within
GBS. Index properties, soil-water characteristic curves, permeability functions, and
unsaturated shear strength parameters of steel slag and recycled concrete were determined via
comprehensive experimental works. Numerical assessments of the rainfall infiltration into the
slope and the stability of the slope under rainfall conditions were accomplished using the
SEEP/W and SLOPE/W analysis tools, respectively. According to the findings, no
breakthrough into the steel slag was observed inside the GBS. Based upon the changes in the
pore-water pressure and the factor of safety (FOS) versus time graphs, steel slag and recycled
concrete were found to be suitable for use as coarse- and fine-grained layers of the GBS to
minimize slope rainwater infiltration and improve the FOS of a slope with a height of 10 m
and an inclination of 70°, respectively.
Keywords: GeoBarrier system (GBS); rainfall; slope stability; unsaturated soil; waste
materials
How to cite: Abishev, R., Satyanaga, A., Moon, S.-W., and Kim, J.: GeoBarrier System incorporating Recycled Concrete and Steel Slag for Slope Protection, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-616, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-616, 2025.
