Evaluation of Slate Waste as a Sustainable Material for Railway Sub-Ballast Layers: Analysis of Mechanical Behavior and Performance

The railway industry is increasingly pressured to adopt sustainable practices, seeking alternatives to virgin natural aggregates that reduce environmental impact and lifecy-cle costs. The extraction of slate for ornamental purposes generates significant waste, approximately 30% by mass, which is typically disposed of in landfills, causing envi-ronmental and economic concerns. This study comprehensively investigates the poten-tial of slate waste as a primary component in sub-ballast layers for heavy-haul rail-ways. Laboratory tests were conducted on mixtures of slate waste and a clayey soil, with granular contents ranging from 60% to 90%. The key geotechnical parameters evaluated included the California Bearing Ratio (CBR), Resilient Modulus (RM), com-paction characteristics, and Atterberg limits. The results indicate that mixtures with slate waste (SLT) exhibit a performance comparable to conventional mixtures with gneiss aggregate (REF). The RM and CBR values for the SLT mixtures increased by 48.5% and 38.4%, respectively, when the slate waste content was raised from 60% to 90%. A non-linear relationship was found between RM and CBR for both materials types. Furthermore, the study integrates findings from related research on recycled ballast and tropical soils, highlighting the synergistic benefits of using industrial by-products. It concludes that slate waste, potentially stabilized with low cement per-centages, presents a viable, high-performance, and sustainable solution for railway sub-ballast, contributing to circular economy principles in railway infrastructure.