Why in news
- CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CSIR-CRRI) and Jindal Steel earned a Guinness World Record for the longest road built with processed steel slag aggregates (1.85 km) in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh.
- Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh highlighted that steel slag technology cuts road construction costs by 40% while quadrupling road structural strength.
Key terms
Steel Slag
A byproduct generated during the separation of molten steel from impurities in steelmaking furnaces.
CSIR-CRRI
A premier national laboratory under CSIR focused on highway engineering, bridge design, and transportation technology.
What is Steel Slag Road Technology?
- An indigenous circular economy technology developed by CSIR-CRRI that converts industrial steel slag—a waste byproduct of steel making—into engineered coarse and fine aggregates.
- Replaces natural mined aggregates in bitumen road layers, addressing both industrial waste disposal and aggregate shortage issues.
Key Advantages over Conventional Roads
- Reduces construction costs by up to 40% compared to conventional natural aggregate roads.
- Delivers up to four times higher structural strength and load capacity, making it suitable for heavy industrial corridors.
- Extends the road maintenance cycle to approximately 15 years, significantly lowering life-cycle infrastructure costs.
Why it matters
- Provides a practical solution for solid waste management in steel manufacturing hubs, reducing slag dumping in landfills.
- Aligns with sustainable infrastructure development by preserving natural riverbed and quarry aggregates.
Prelims facts
- Steel slag replaces natural aggregates in road construction, lowering cost and increasing load capacity.
Mains discussion
- Discuss the role of industrial byproduct utilization in achieving sustainable infrastructure under circular economy principles.
Source: PIB
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