Graduation Semester and Year

2019

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Civil Engineering

Department

Civil Engineering

First Advisor

Sahadat Hossain

Second Advisor

Xinbao Yu

Third Advisor

Nur Yazdani

Abstract

The Recycled Plastic Pins (RPP) have been extensively used as an alternative to the conventional slope stabilization methods in stabilizing shallows slope failure in Texas, Missouri, Kansas, and Idaho in the United States. The RPP provides additional resistance along the potential slip surface when it is driven into the slope and increases the factor of safety. RPPs are fabricated from recycled plastics and waste materials (i.e. polymers, sawdust, and fly ash), and is nondegradable in nature. It is found to be very useful and beneficial engineering materials for civil engineering infrastructure projects. The cost-effectiveness of using any engineering material largely depends on the efficacy of the project planning where proper scheduling based on the estimation of time is a prime aspect. Although several studies have been conducted to estimate the driving rate of piles using wave equation analysis, static resistance to driving, and dynamic soil properties, no study has been performed to estimate the driving rate of RPPs based on different soil properties. Also the comprehensive understanding of the interaction between RPP and soil properties while driving would assist in bringing about an optimized design method for slope stabilization. Hence, a better understanding of the interconnection between the RPP driving rate and soil properties is an essence. Therefore, the objective of this study is to evaluate the driving rate of RPP based on different soil parameters. The influences of soil properties on RPP driving rate were studied in detailed manner in the present research. The considered soil properties were natural moisture content, dry density, plasticity index, and cohesion. Also the influence of standard penetration test (SPT) value of soil on driving rate of RPP was examined. The driving time and rate along with soil properties utilized in this study were assembled from the studies conducted by Khan (2013), Tamrakar (2015), Zaman (2019), and Sapkota (2019). The data were also collected directly from different sites in Irving and Arlington where RPPs were used for different engineering applications. Based on the analyses, it was found that the driving rate increased with an increase in natural moisture content and plasticity index while it decreased with the increase in dry density, cohesion, and SPT value of soil.

Keywords

Driveability, Recycled plastic pins

Disciplines

Civil and Environmental Engineering | Civil Engineering | Engineering

Comments

Degree granted by The University of Texas at Arlington

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