Greening groundworks: Stabilizing soft soil with acrylonitrile butadiene styrene-infused stone columns
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15282/construction.v6i1.13239Keywords:
Clay soil, Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene, Stone column, Foundation engineering, Soil-bearing capacity, Shear strengthAbstract
The growing demand for sustainable approaches in geotechnical engineering has led to the exploration of novel materials. Incorporating waste materials such as Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene plastic into ground improvement applications offers a cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution. This investigation began with an assessment of the fundamental geotechnical properties of the materials, both physical and mechanical followed by an evaluation of shear strength parameters. The analysis includes particle size distribution, specific gravity, compaction, permeability, and shear strength enhancement. This study employs the vibro-replacement technique to fabricate reinforced columns at laboratory scale. It introduces a new technology aimed at addressing issues commonly associated with clayey soils, such as excessive settlement. The influence of column dimensions is examined through various ratios, including the Column Penetration Ratio, Column Penetration to Diameter Ratio, and Volume Substitution Ratio. Via the Unconfined Compression Test, the Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene column–reinforced kaolin soil recorded shear strength values ranging from 15.43 kPa to 22.56 kPa, compared to the raw shear strength value of 11.11 kPa. Across all designs, the reinforcement delayed column failure under constant axial deformation. Thus, it is deduced that the optimum column design occurred at an 8 mm diameter, with an improvement percentage of 103.06% at a critical column length of 50 mm. In conclusion, this study confirms the potential of this plastic as a viable material for improving the engineering properties of clayey soil, while also highlighting its environmental benefits.
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