Mechanical Properties of Clayey Soil Reinforced with PET Considering the Influence of Lime-Stabilization

Abstract

Reusing waste plastic can be considered as an important issue in terms of economical as well as environmental concerns. Stabilization of clayey soil is a well-utilized approach to improve the mechanical properties concerning the geotechnical aspects. Meanwhile, the effect of concurrent employment of both lime and waste plastic fibers with different contents and various shapes on mechanical properties of clay is not evident. This research presents the mechanical characteristics of clayey soil reinforced with Plastic Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET). Both unstabilized and lime-stabilized clay are considered as unreinforced materials and the plastic strips and pellets are separately utilized as reinforcement substances. Various tests namely standard Proctor compaction test, point load test (PLT) and drop-weight impact loading test are performed to assess the effect of reinforcement and stabilization on mechanical behavior of clayey soil. The concurrent influences of using PET and adding lime confirm that positive effect of lime stabilization on strength is more meaningful. Meanwhile, the limited content of 1.5% of PET shows the maximum strength for reinforced clayey soil. Generally, reinforcement with strips leads to the exhibition of higher strength based on the point load strength index and more flexibility based on the applied impact loads in comparison with pellet particles.