Effect of Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate Strips on the Mechanical Properties of Cement-Treated Lateritic Sandy Soil

Maitê Rocha Silveira,Heraldo Luiz Giacheti,Natália De Souza Correia,Roger Augusto Rodrigues,Paulo César Lodi

doi:10.3390/su12239801

Maitê Rocha Silveira, Heraldo Luiz Giacheti + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/su12239801

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Abstract

The civil engineering construction industry is nowadays one of the largest consumers of natural resources. Therefore, the proposal of using alternative materials that seek to reduce waste production or the use of previously generated waste is becoming increasingly necessary. This paper evaluated the effect of recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) strips on the mechanical properties of a cement-treated lateritic sandy soil. Unconfined compression strength (UCS) tests were conducted in natural and PET strips mixtures in different strips lengths and contents. In addition to UCS tests, compaction tests were also conducted in order to analyze the effect of these inclusions on the properties of a lateritic sandy soil. Lastly, direct shear tests were conducted on natural soil-strip, soil-cement, and soil-cement-strip composites using optimum UCS results. The addition of strips to the soil-cement composite showed an increase in the soil cohesion parameter. The inclusion of strips also provided a more ductile behavior to the soil, presenting greater deformations with fewer stress peaks. Results showed that the recycled strips’ inclusion in soil-cement can provide a material with high strength, ductility, and a highly sustainable alternative.

Highlights

Nowadays, the visible consequences of environmental degradation and the prediction of future environmentally catastrophic scenarios require drastic solutions for environmental conservation
This study evaluated the effect of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) strips on the mechanical properties of a cement-treated lateritic sandy soil
Results from direct shear tests in soil-cement composites showed that in all analyzed cases the addition of cement was effective in increasing the shear strength of the soil, increasing both the cohesion parameter and the friction angle in large proportions, even when small amounts of cement have been added;

Summary

Introduction

The visible consequences of environmental degradation and the prediction of future environmentally catastrophic scenarios require drastic solutions for environmental conservation. Among them is the integrated management of solid wastes, in which a set of actions is proposed in order to promote sustainability and the preservation of natural resources through three main actions: reducing consumption, reusing consumed materials, and recycling generated waste. In the context of the reduction of natural resource use in civil construction, such as soils, different materials appear as alternative options to compose soil-mixtures: synthetic or natural fibers, construction and demolition wastes, ashes or tire fibers. Another sustainable alternative is the addition of polymers, using previously generated wastes, such as plastic strips. In the United States, plastic recycling is only 9 percent of total plastic trash

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