NIT Rourkela develops high-strength road material using mining, industrial waste
Rourkela, Aug 18 (TNT): Researchers at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela on Tuesday said they have secured a patent for a high-strength composite material developed using coal-mining and industrial waste, which could be used in the construction of roads designed to withstand heavy vehicle traffic.
The technology seeks to address two challenges simultaneously — management of large quantities of mining and industrial waste and the need for durable road infrastructure capable of supporting heavy traffic, the Institute said in a release here.
The research team comprising Prof K Umamaheshwar Rao, Professor and Director, Prof Manoj Kumar Mishra, Professor, and research scholar Dr Subhasrita Chodhury, Department of Mining Engineering, NIT Rourkela, secured the patent for the technology.
The patent has been granted under Patent No. 597749, with Application No. 202331070306.
According to the Ministry of Coal, India mines about one billion tonnes of raw coal annually, with nearly 94 per cent coming from surface mining operations, generating large quantities of different types of waste, including coal parting material containing rock and other non-coal materials.
The NIT Rourkela researchers identified silica and alumina-rich clay minerals present in coal mine partings as potential raw materials for construction applications. These minerals possess properties such as compressive strength and stiffness, which can be utilised when combined with industrial additives.
The team developed a composite material by combining coal mine parting, fly ash and a binder and evaluated different formulations to determine the optimum composition and performance.
Explaining the research, Prof K Umamaheshwar Rao said the technology was particularly relevant to coal-mining regions where roads routinely carry heavy vehicles transporting mined materials.
Such roads are exposed to significant loads and repeated traffic, resulting in frequent deterioration, he said.
Prof Manoj Kumar Mishra said the developed composite was an example of the circular economy principle, as it converted two large-volume industrial wastes into a resource with engineering potential and economic value.
The technology not only addresses waste management concerns but also offers an indigenous and sustainable option for infrastructure development, he said.
As the next step, the research team plans to conduct pilot-scale field trials to assess the long-term durability and strength of the developed material under real-world conditions.
TNT TS
