Utilization of Quarry Dust and Plastic Wastes in Highway Pavement Construction: Fid-Bau Portal

Utilization of Quarry Dust and Plastic Wastes in Highway Pavement Construction

Choudhary, A.K. / Roy, Nimisha / Sinha, A.K.

An experimental study was carried out to demonstrate the potential of using quarry dust reinforced with randomly distributed reclaimed high density polyethylene (HDPE) strips. Three different sizes of waste plastic strips were used in this study. The effect of waste plastic strip content (0.25% to 4%) and length on the California Bearing Ratio (CBR) and subgrade modulus of strip reinforced quarry dust was investigated. The study reveals that addition of waste plastic strips to quarry dust results in appreciable increase in CBR and subgrade modulus. The benefit from the reinforcement increases with an increase in strip content and strip length which results in significant reduction in layer thickness for pavements. Based on the results of the present investigation following conclusions can be drawn: (1) The addition of reclaimed HDPE strips, a waste material, to quarry dust results in an appreciable increase in the CBR and the secant modulus. (2) The reinforcement benefit increases with an increase in strip content and the aspect ratio and maximum value of CBRI and secant modulus of a reinforced system is around 7.02 times of that of an unreinforced system for 4% strip content having aspect ratio 3. (3) Similarly the maximum improvement in PLR and CBR is obtained when the strip content is 4% and the aspect ratio 3. However further study is needed to: (1) optimize the size and shape of strips; (2) assess the durability and aging aspects of the strip reinforcement. Large scale tests are also needed to determine the boundary effects influence on the performance of such soils.