MET MET MET MET METAL CASTING AL CASTING AL CASTING AL CASTING AL CASTING 
Project Fact Sheet 
PERFORMANCE DATA TO INCREASE REUSE OF 
BENEFITS 
FOUNDRY BYPRODUCTS 
There are environmental, economic, and 
technical advantages to substituting foundry 
aggregates for conventional virgin granular 
materials: 
• In addition to reducing the amount of 
materials going to the landfills, processed 
foundry aggregates are often less 
expensive than mined and processed 
aggregates. 
• In some applications, such as flowable 
fill, it can be demonstrated that the 
processed foundry byproducts perform 
equal to or better than conventional 
granular materials. 
APPLICATIONS 
Disposal of foundry sand is an important 
issue throughout the foundry industry. The 
availability of performance data will benefit 
the industry nationwide. Both controlled low 
strength material and hot mix asphalt are 
excellent applications for foundry sand. Use 
of controlled low strength material reduces 
settlement in bridge approach slabs and 
pavement utility cuts. Controlled low 
strength material also increases the speed of 
construction. Foundry sand also shows a 
high potential for value-added replacement of 
fine aggregates in hot mix asphalt as high as 
25%. 
REUSE OF FOUNDRY BYPRODUCTS IN HOT MIX ASPHALT AND 
CONTROLLED LOW STRENGTH MATERIALS REDUCES DISPOSAL 
REQUIREMENTS AND IMPROVES ENERGY EFFICIENCY 
It is estimated that approximately 8 million tons of foundry sands and slags could 
be available for reuse every year. Most spent foundry sands and slags have 
characteristics that allow for reuse as fine and coarse aggregates in a number of 
engineered applications. However, the engineering specifications and technical 
performance standards for reuse of foundry sands and slags have not been 
developed. Additionally, the environmental characteristics of foundry byproducts 
in reuse applications are not universally understood. Compiling this information is 
prohibitively expensive for most small foundries. Together, these technical 
barriers constitute major impediments to foundry byproduct reuse activities. 
Controlled low strength material (CLSM) and hot mix asphalt (HMA) have been 
selected as initial targets to address the void of technical data. There are a 
variety of technical, economic, and environmental arguments that support a focus 
on these two applications. Both materials have been identified by the Federal 
Highway Administration as potential uses for foundry byproducts in highway 
construction applications. 
The project will develop a national technical database defining the technical 
parameters for the use of foundry byproducts in CLSM and HMA, as well as 
design guidelines for CLSM and HMA mix designs. 
BENEFICIAL REUSE OF SPENT FOUNDRY SAND 
Field testing of controlled low strength material containing foundry sand. 
OFFICE OF INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES 
ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY • U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Showcase Description 
Goal: The goal of this project is to develop technical data to validate performance 
characteristics of foundry byproducts in hot-mix asphalt and controlled lowstrength 
material. The data will be made publicly available and enable the construction 
industry to evaluate and use foundry sand as an aggregate for various 
materials. 
Progress and Milestones 
This two year project was awarded in August 2000. Planned tasks include: 
• Coordinate the development of a national technical database resource defining the 
technical parameters for the use of foundry products in both controlled low strength 
material and hot mix asphalt. 
• Develop user guidelines and technical standards for controlled low strength material 
and hot mix asphalt mix deigns. 
• Engage in performance testing of controlled low strength material and hot mix asphalt 
with foundry sands and slags. 
Additional Industry Partners 
Badger Mining Corporation 
Berlin, WI 
EOAssociates 
Mill River, MA 
Foundry Association of Michigan 
Lansing, MI 
GM Worldwide Facilities Group Environmental Services Division 
Detroit, MI 
Illinois Cast Metals Association 
North Pekin, IL 
Indiana Cast Metals Association (90 companies) 
Indianapolis, IN 
Kurtz Brothers, Inc. 
Groveport, OH 
Ohio Cast Metals Association (95 companies) 
Columbus, OH 
Payne & Dolan, Inc. 
Waukesha, WI 
Pennsylvania Foundrymen's Association (140 companies), 
Plymouth Meeting, PA 
Process Recovery Corp. 
Sinking Spring, PA 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 
Chicago, IL 
Wisconsin Cast Metals Association (60 companies) 
Milwaukee, WI 
PROJECT PARTNERS 
Pennsylvania State University 
State College, PA 
University of Wisconsin 
Madison, WI 
American Foundry Society 
Des Plaines, IL 
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, 
PLEASE CONTACT: 
Harvey Wong 
Office of Industrial Technologies 
Phone: (202) 586-9235 
Fax: (202) 586-6507 
Harvey.Wong@ee.doe.gov 
http://www.oit.doe.gov/IOF/metalcast/ 
Please send any comments, 
questions, or suggestions to 
webmaster.oit@ee.doe.gov. 
Visit our home page at 
www.oit.doe.gov 
Office of Industrial Technologies 
Energy Efficiency 
and Renewable Energy 
U.S. Department of Energy 
Washington, D.C. 20585 
December 2000