FLYASH AS A SOIL AMENDMENT FOR TURF GROWTH

THE PROPOSED ROUTES OF TWO ARTERIAL HIGHWAYS IN SUFFOLK COUNTY, LONG ISLAND, TRAVERSE AREAS OF SANDY SOILS CONTAINING ONLY A TRACE OF SILT AND CLAY AND PRACTICALLY NO ORGANIC MATTER. THESE SOILS ARE LARGELY THE PLYMOUTH, LAKEWOOD, AND DUKES SAND SERIES. THE EXISTING GROWTH IS TYPICALLY SCRUB OAK AND PITCH PINE. SOILS WHICH MIGHT BE USED TO AMEND THOSE SANDS TO PROVIDE A BETTER MEDIUM FOR TURF GWORTH ARE, IN MANY CASES, AT SUCH A DISTANCE THAT THEIR USE WOULD BE COSTLY. FLYASH, A BY-PRODUCT FROM THE IMCOMPLETE COMBUSTION OF BITUMINOUS COAL, WAS FOUND TO BE AVAILABLE IN QUANTITY FROM ELECTRIC POWER PLANTS ON LONG ISLAND. AS THIS MATERIAL IS LARGELY SLIT IN TEXTURE, ITS USE AS AN AMENDMENT TO SAND FOR TURF GROWTH WAS CONSIDERED WORTH INVESTIGATING. THE SITE CHOSEN FOR THE FIELD TEST WAS IN A TYPICAL SCRUB OAK-PITCH PINE AREA WHERE EVAPORATION LOSS OF MOISTURE IS HIGH, BECAUSE OF THE POOR VEGETATIVE COVER, AND WHERE THE SOILS ARE TYPICALLY SANDY. THE SOIL OF THE AREA IS SAND FILL PLACED SOME YEARS AGO. ANALYSIS OF A SAMPLE INDICATED LESS THAN 1 PERCENT PASSING THE 200 SIEVE AND A PH OF 4.6 TO 4.8. ABOUT TWICE AS MUCH WAS SPREAD ON PLOT 2 AS ON PLOT 3 AND ABOUT THREE TIMES AS MUCH ON PLOT 1 AS ON PLOT 3. ON PLOT 4 ABOUT 12 CU. YD. OF SOIL CONTAINING 26 PERCENT MATERIAL PASSING THE 200 SIEVE AND HAVING A PH OF 4.8 WAS SPREAD. A 10:6:4 FERTILIZER WAS SPREAD ON ALL PLOTS AT THE RATE OF ABOUT 1,000 LB PER ACRE. GROUND LIMESTONE WAS APPLIED ON THE NORTH TWO-THIRDS OF ALL PLOTS AND HYDRATED LIME ON THE OTHER ONE-THIRD OF ALL PLOTS AT ABOUT 1 TON PER ACRE. ALL PLOTS WERE DISK-HARROWED TO MIX, AS WELL AS POSSIBLE UNDER THE CONDITIONS, THE AMENDMENTS, FERTILIZER, AND LIME WITH THE SAND TO A DEPTH OF 4 TO 6 INCHES. IN OCTOBER, TWO MONTHS AFTER APPLICATION, COVER WAS FAIR ON ALL PLOTS AND NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE WAS OBSERVED WHICH COULD BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE VARIOUS TREATMENTS. /AUTHOR/

  • Record URL:
  • Supplemental Notes:
    • No 419, pp 45-46, 2 TAB. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
  • Authors:
    • Iurka, H H
    • Paterson, T F
  • Publication Date: 1956

Media Info

Subject/Index Terms

  • TRT Terms: Fly ash; Sand; Soils; Turf
  • Subject Areas: Design; Environment; Geotechnology; Highways;

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00205091
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Files: TRIS, TRB
  • Created Date: Nov 22 1971 12:00AM