Farewell Speech
Abstract:
Expanded polystyrene (EPS) composite soil is a new kind of lightweight geomaterial, which is made of soil, binder, water, and EPS. Geotechnical properties of EPS composite soil are significantly affected by its constituents. A wide range of engineering properties including the unit weight and the compressive strength has been reported based on the variation in its ingredient proportions. The unit weight of EPS composite soil, which ranges from 5 to 18 kN/m3, is lighter than that of natural soils because of adding super-light EPS into the mixture. The reported values of compressive strength are in the range of 50~550kPa, which meet almost all the requirements for fill materials. Both the unit weight and the compressive strength of this geomaterial can be easily adjusted by changing the mixture ratios. Moreover, EPS composite soil is an environment-friendly material which can make use of recycled materials as its aggregates, including EPS waste and dredged mud. It has been successfully used in practice in Asia for many engineering applications, mainly as a fill material for bridge abutments, embankments, and underground cavities.
This paper provides a comprehensive review of geotechnical properties of this material, including the unit weight, the compressive strength, the permeability, dynamic properties, creep properties, and water absorbability. Several case histories are reviewed and future research and potential applications are discussed at the end of this paper.
Keywords: EPS composite soil; Deformation; Lightweight geomaterial; Compressive strength; Geotechnical property
Document Type: Research Article
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3328/IJGE.2011.05.01.69-77
Publication date: 2011-01-01
Expanded polystyrene (EPS) composite soil is a new kind of lightweight geomaterial, which is made of soil, binder, water, and EPS. Geotechnical properties of EPS composite soil are significantly affected by its constituents. A wide range of engineering properties including the unit weight and the compressive strength has been reported based on the variation in its ingredient proportions. The unit weight of EPS composite soil, which ranges from 5 to 18 kN/m3, is lighter than that of natural soils because of adding super-light EPS into the mixture. The reported values of compressive strength are in the range of 50~550kPa, which meet almost all the requirements for fill materials. Both the unit weight and the compressive strength of this geomaterial can be easily adjusted by changing the mixture ratios. Moreover, EPS composite soil is an environment-friendly material which can make use of recycled materials as its aggregates, including EPS waste and dredged mud. It has been successfully used in practice in Asia for many engineering applications, mainly as a fill material for bridge abutments, embankments, and underground cavities.
This paper provides a comprehensive review of geotechnical properties of this material, including the unit weight, the compressive strength, the permeability, dynamic properties, creep properties, and water absorbability. Several case histories are reviewed and future research and potential applications are discussed at the end of this paper.
Keywords: EPS composite soil; Deformation; Lightweight geomaterial; Compressive strength; Geotechnical property
Document Type: Research Article
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3328/IJGE.2011.05.01.69-77
Publication date: 2011-01-01