Mechanical performance of cement-stabilised soil containing recycled glass as road base layer

Abstract

The increase in the volume of solid waste constitutes a global environmental challenge. The use of recycled materials in road construction reduces the environmental impact of civil engineering works and contributes to the achievement of recycling targets. Waste glass is 100% recyclable, non-biodegradable and has potential uses as engineering material. This paper aims to evaluate the potential use of Recycled Glass (RG) as aggregate replacement in road applications. The effect of RG inclusion in soil strength is studied. For that purpose, a laboratory testing programme was conducted, including the modified Proctor compaction, compressive strength and the California Bearing Ratio tests. Different proportions of RG and stabilising cement are tested. The results indicated an improvement in the shear resistance of tested mixtures, and also met the standards requirements for road base layers design. This study supports the technical feasibility of adding RG to cement stabilised soils for it use in base layers in light-load roads. © 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.