Two views of the unpaved road. Left, showing completed earthen embankment and right, with a view of Meredosia Power Station in the background.
The Meredosia Road Project - Meredosia, IL
The Meredosia Industry Access Truck Route Project in Meredosia, IL, represents a two-year cooperative development and demonstration effort among the Office of Coal Development (OCD) of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs (DCCA), Southern Illinois University (SIU), Morgan County Highway Department (MCHD), Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), AmerenCIPS, and the Morgan County Regional Planning Commission.
The goal of this project is to develop, demonstrate, and document the beneficial use applications of a ponded F- fly ash as a road subbase material for a 2.1-mile county highway without negative environmental impacts to surface water or groundwater. The County Highway will consist of a 24-foot wide road built on an up to 7-foot thick compacted F-fly ash subbase. Geotechnical studies to date indicate this fly ash will serve adequately as a road subbase, conforming to IDOT standard specifications.
Two views of the unpaved road. Left, showing completed earthen
embankment and right, with a view of Meredosia Power Station in the background.
Between 60,000 to 70,000 cubic yards of Meredosia Power Plant ponded fly ash were used in the construction of the road, which represents almost two years’ worth of fly ash generartion of AmerenCIPS’s Meredosia Power Plant west of Springfield, IL. Two lysimeters were also installed to collect water quality samples. As of August 31, 2002, no water has yet been observed from the lysimeters. This proves that the compacted fly ash repels water, as can also be seen in the photographs.
Compacted fly ash repels rainwater even without a paved top (left) and
right, Michael Purnell of OCD inspects one of the two installed lysimeters.
Long-term performance activities will continue for a period of three (3) years after the completion of this project. Successful demonstration of large- volume beneficial use applications of F- fly ash at this site will significantly reduce ash management costs for power plants burning Illinois Coal. Furthermore, it will encourage similar utilization strategies at other sites in the State of Illinois.
A view of a part of the 70 000 ton ash pile before the project, and
the same site today after completion of the project.
Inspecting the road project in August 2002: Paul Chugh (SIU Carbondale,
PI of the project), Calvin Hance (Highway Engineer, MCHD) and Michael Purnell
(OCD in Springfield).
The full report of this project is available by clicking on the link below:
Development and Demonstration of Coal Combustion Products-Based Road Subbase