Dear V. K., 

improvement on compressive strength of tropical peat soils indicates that PA has the potential to be used as a stabilizer for tropical peat soil:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281110923_Tropical_Peat_Soil_Stabilization_using_Class_F_Pond_Ash_from_Coal_Fired_Power_Plant

http://gndec.ac.in/~igs/ldh/conf/2009/articles/T07_23.pdf

http://ijorat.com/papers/Vol1Issue8p4.pdf

best regards

Johannes

Article Tropical Peat Soil Stabilization using Class F Pond Ash from...

It all depends on the type of coal being burned in the coal-fired power plant. For example, the elements/ metals and oxides content in the ash varies if the coal type is anthracite, bituminous, sub-bituminous, or lignite. These elements and oxides could be beneficial to the soil.

Hope this helps answer your question.

Professor Yehia Khalil, Yale University, USA

Fellow of the University of Oxford, UK

If you are considering it from an agronomic rather than a geotechnical perspective, my understanding is that the material can be highly alkaline (so may be good improve acid soils) and can contain high concentrations of some potentially toxic elements (harmful to plants and humans), so rates of application need to be considered. It is also porous so has been suggested to improve soil water holding capacity. It has been used for soil amendment and if this can be conducted without degrading soil quality, it clearly has environmental benefits because the storage and remediation of pond ash (or fly ash) is difficult.. For suggested agricultural application (as well as a whole lot of other uses) visit the link below. Fly ash is now widely used in the production of construction materials (cement and the like) and in Australia this has transformed the recycling of this material (see info on other parts of the website in the link). Regards

Andrew

http://www.adaa.asn.au/resource-utilisation/application-and-uses/agriculture

Environmental requirements for the application of coal ash in agriculture.

http://www.coal-ash.co.il/docs/CoalAshEvironCondProp_Agri_E.pdf

It is hard to present a final answer since there are controversial findings.

Please read: http://www.krishisanskriti.org/vol_image/03Jul201502073610.pdf

Dear V.K.,

Maybe the following references are interesting for you.

Best wishes Louis

Fly ash  references

Campbell DJ, Fox WE, Aitken RL, Bell LC (1983) Physical characteristics of sands amended with fly ash. Australian Journal of Soil Research 21, 147-154. Doi: 10.1071/SR9830147.

Hartmann, P, Fleige H, Horn R (2007a) The influence of fly ash on soils in the Dübener Heide: Physical characteristics, water repellency and water balance. Archives of  Nature Conservation and Landscape Research 46(3), 79-103. Doi:10.1016/j.gepoderma.2009.02.005.

*Hartmann P, Fleige H, Horn R (2010a) Water repellency of fly ash-enriched forest soils from eastern Germany. European Journal of Soil Science 61(6), 1070-1078. Doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2389.2010.01296.x.

*Hartmann P, Fleige H, Horn R (2010b) Changes in soil physical properties of forest floor horizons due to long-term deposition of lignite fly ash. Journal of Soils and Sediments 10, 231-239. Doi: 10.1007/s11368-009-0108-7.