Base Stabilization of Iowa Granular Roads Using Recycled Plastics
Plastic waste is one of the greatest environmental challenges in not only Iowa but also other states. Recent bans on imported plastic waste into developing countries is forcing many United States cities and states to take issues related to plastic waste more seriously. In addition, fiberglass-based (also known as glass-reinforced plastic or glass-fiber-reinforced plastic) wind turbine blades from wind powered generators in Iowa are being heaped up in piles in landfills instead of recycled. The objectives of this research are to determine the structural benefits and environmental suitability of using recycled plastics as a base stabilization agent and then to develop a practitioner’s guide to document best practices to implement such a solution in Iowa’s gravel road network. This will be achieved through the execution of the following primary tasks: (1) characterization of recycled plastic materials, including recycled wind turbine blade materials, (2) identification of innovative solutions of using recycled plastics to stabilize granular roads through comprehensive laboratory assessment, (3) construction and assessment of pilot test sections employing identified solutions through a set of field tests and surveys, (4) determination of the structural benefits and environmental suitability,(5) cost-effectiveness evaluation, and (6) development of best practice guidance documents and implementation recommendations. The successful outcomes of this research will not only help reduce landfill waste but also provide an innovative and less expensive alternative to strengthen the bases of Iowa’s granular roads.
Language
- English
Project
- Status: Active
- Funding: $639,559.00
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Contract Numbers:
TR-799
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Sponsor Organizations:
Iowa Department of Transportation
800 Lincoln Way
Ames, IA United States 50010 -
Managing Organizations:
Iowa Department of Transportation
800 Lincoln Way
Ames, IA United States 50010 -
Project Managers:
Goetz, Vanessa
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Performing Organizations:
Michigan State University, East Lansing
Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
Institute for Community Development
East Lansing, MI United States 48824-1226 Institute for Transportation
2711 South Loop Drive, Suite 4700
Ames, Iowa United States 50010-8664 -
Principal Investigators:
Ceylan, Halil
- Start Date: 20220301
- Expected Completion Date: 20250228
- Actual Completion Date: 0
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Base course (Pavements); Gravel roads; Plastics; Recycled materials; Rural highways; Soil stabilization
- Geographic Terms: Iowa
- Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways; Materials; Pavements;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01945647
- Record Type: Research project
- Source Agency: Iowa Department of Transportation
- Contract Numbers: TR-799
- Files: RIP, STATEDOT
- Created Date: Feb 12 2025 6:41PM