PROSPECTS FOR UTILIZING TECHNOLOGICAL WASTE PRODUCED FROM THE PURIFICATION OF SULFUR-CONTAINING GASES AT GAS FIELDS IN THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN AND THEIR TARGETED APPLICATION IN VARIOUS SECTORS

Today, there is a growing demand for environmentally safe, recyclable, and highly durable materials for modernizing railway infrastructure using industrial waste generated from the purification of sulfur gases in gas fields. The high CO2 emissions and hydrophilic properties of traditional cement-based concretes are limiting their use in long-term and aggressive environments. In light of this, the present study explored the prospects of using sulfur-based concretes with hydrophobic, chemically stable, and thermoplastic properties in railway sleepers. Samples obtained from compositions consisting of molten sulfur, modified stabilizers, basalt fiber, and nanoadditives were analyzed using TGA/DTA and IR spectroscopy methods. Important physicochemical properties such as compressive strength, water absorption coefficient, thermal conductivity, and resistance to mechanical wear were evaluated through laboratory and industrial tests. The research results demonstrated that sulfur concrete could be implemented not only as an alternative cement-free solution but also as a sustainable, long-lasting, and recyclable structural material for future railway sleepers.

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