Expanded Polystyrene-Based Geomaterial with Fly Ash
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 14, Issue 6
Abstract
This paper reports the engineering behavior of proposed expanded polystyrene-based geomaterial (EPGM) with fly ash through a laboratory experimental study. The proposed geomaterial is prepared by blending fly ash with expanded polystyrene (EPS) beads and a binder such as cement. The effects of different compositions and different mix ratios between EPS beads and fly ash (0.5–2.5%), cement and fly ash (10–20%), and water and fly ash (50 and 60%) on density, compressive strength, and initial tangent modulus of the geomaterial formed are studied. The authors observe that the density of EPGM can be effectively controlled by the quantity of EPS beads added in making the material. With the inclusion of merely 0.5–2.5% of EPS beads to fly ash (by weight), the density of the geomaterial formed can be reduced from . The compressive strength of EPGM increases considerably if cement-to-fly ash ratios of 10, 15, and 20% are used. Compared with EPS block geofoam, EPS beads mixed geomaterial has higher density but higher compressive strength and higher stiffness. Thus the geomaterial developed in the current study can be used as a substitute for EPS geofoam block when strong fill materials with high strengths are required.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
Alizadeh, V., Helwany, S., Ghorbanpoor, A., and Oliva, M. (2012). “Rapid-construction technique for bridge abutments using controlled low-strength materials (CLSM).” J. Perform. Constr. Facil., 149–156.
American Concrete Institute (ACI). (1994). “Controlled low-strength materials (CLSM).” ACI 229R, Farmington Hills, MI.
ASTM. (2008). “Standard specification for coal fly ash and raw or calcined natural pozzolan for use in concrete.” C618-08a, West Conshohocken, PA.
Bathurst, R. J., Zarnani, S., and Gaskin, A. (2007). “Shaking table testing of geofoam seismic buffers.” Soil. Dyn. Earthquake Eng., 27(4), 324–332.
Beinbrech, G., and Hillmann, R. (1997). “EPS in road construction—Current situation in Germany.” J. Geotextile Geomembr., 15(1–3), 39–57.
Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). (1989). “43 grade ordinary portland cement—Specification.” IS 8112, New Delhi, India.
Das, S. K., and Yudbhir. (2005). “Geotechnical characterization of some Indian fly ashes.” J. Mater. Civ. Eng., 544–552.
Deng, A., and Xiao, Y. (2010). “Measuring and modeling proportion-dependent stress-strain behavior of EPS-sand mixture.” Int. J. Geomech., 214–222.
Duskov, M. (1997). “Material research on EPS20 and EPS15 under representative conditions in pavement structures.” J. Geotextile Geomembr., 15(1–3), 147–181.
Gandhi, S. R., Dey, A. K., and Selvam, S. (1999). “Densification of pond ash by blasting.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 889–899.
Gao, H., Chen, G., and Wang, Z. (2012). The mechanical behaviors of the embankment filled with EPS composite soils, Vols. 368–373, Advanced Material Research, Trans Tech Publications, Dürnten-Zurich, Switzerland, 2813–2818.
Gao, H., Liu, J., and Liu, H. (2011a). “Geotechnical properties of EPS composite soil.” Int. J. Geotech. Eng., 5(1), 69–77.
Gao, Y., Wang, S., and Chen, C. (2011b). “A united deformation strength framework for lightweight sand-EPS beads soil (LSES) under cyclic loading condition.” Soil. Dyn. Earthquake Eng., 31(8), 1144–1153.
Horiguchi, T., Fujita, R., and Shimura, K. (2011). “Applicability of controlled low-strength materials with incinerated sewage sludge ash and crushed-stone powder.” J. Mater. Civ. Eng., 767–771.
Horvath, J. S. (1994). “Expanded polystyrene (EPS) geofoam: An introduction to material behavior.” J. Geotextile Geomembr., 13(4), 263–280.
Horvath, J. S. (1997). “The compressible inclusion functions of EPS geofoam.” J. Geotextile Geomembr., 15(1–3), 77–120.
Kim, Y. T., Kim, H. J., and Lee, G. H. (2008). “Mechanical behavior of lightweight soil reinforced with waste fishing net.” Geotex. Geomembr., 26(6), 512–518.
Liu, H., Deng, A., and Chu, J. (2006). “Effect of different mixing ratios of polystyrene pre-puff beads and cement on the mechanical behavior of lightweight fill.” Geotex. Geomembr., 24(6), 331–338.
Mandal, J. N., and Nimbalkar, S. S. (1999). “Reduction of lateral earth pressure by compressible inclusion by centrifuge modeling.” Proc., Indian Geotechnical Conf., IGC-1999, Indian Geotechnical Society, New Delhi, India, 63–67.
Mandal, J. N., and Nimbalkar, S. S. (2000). “Centrifuge tests for bearing capacity of EPS on soft soils.” Foundation Problems and Case Studies, 1st IGS Indore Chapter, Indian Geotechnical Society, New Delhi, India, 60–74.
Murphy, G. P. (1997). “The influence of geofoam creep on the performance of a compressible inclusion.” Geotext. Geomembr., 15(1–3), 121–131.
Nimbalkar, S. S. (1999). “Some studies of geofoam geosynthetics.” M.Tech. thesis, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India.
Onishi, K., Tsukamoto, Y., Saito, R., and Chiyoda, T. (2010). “Strength and small-strain modulus of lightweight geomaterials: Cement-stabilised sand mixed with compressible expanded polystyrene beads.” Geosynthetics Int., 17(6), 380–388.
Padade, A. H., and Mandal, J. N. (2012). “Feasibility studies on expanded polystyrene (EPS) geofoam.” Proc., Int. Conf. Ground Improvement and Ground Technique, ICGI2012, Vol. 2, Research Publishing, Chennai, India, 903–906.
Perrier, H. (1997). “Ultra light cellular structure—French approach.” Geotext. Geomembr., 15(1–3), 59–76.
Qi, S., Liu, S., Zhang, Y., and Xu, G. (2012). “Experimental study on capability of EPS beads-mixed lightweight soil.” Appl. Mech. Mater., 268–270, 776–781.
Raghavendra, T., and Udayashankar, B. (2013). “Study on flow & strength characteristics of CLSM using ground granulated blast furnace slag.” J. Mater. Civ. Eng., (Aug. 27, 2013).
Shin, K., Bucher, B., and Weiss, J. (2011). “Role of lightweight synthetic particles on the restrained shrinkage cracking behavior of mortar.” J. Mater. Civ. Eng., 597–605.
Stark, T. D., Arellano, D., Horvath, J. S., and Leshchinsky, D. (2004). “Geofoam application in design and construction of highway embankments.” National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Web Document 65, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC.
Tsuchida, T., Porbaha, A., and Yamane, N. (2001). “Development of geomaterial from dredged bay mud.” J. Mater. Civ. Eng., 152–160.
Wang, F., and Miao, L. (2009). “A proposed lightweight fill for embankment using cement treated Yangzi River sand and expanded polystyrene beads.” Bull. Eng. Geol. Environ., 68(4), 517–524.
Wu, J., and Tsai, M. (2008). “Potential use of recycled rubberized CLSM as bridge approach backfill.” Proc., GeoCongress 2008: Characterization, Monitoring, and Modeling of GeoSystems, A. N. Alshawabkeh, K. R. Reddy, and M. V. Khire, eds., ASCE, Reston, VA, 245–252.
Yoonz, G. L., Joen, S. S., and Kim, B. T. (2004). “Mechanical characteristics of light-weighed soil using dredged materials.” Mar. Georesour. Geotechnol., 22(4), 215–229.
Zarnani, S., and Bathurst, R. J. (2007). “Experimental investigation of EPS geofoam seismic buffers using shaking table tests.” Geosynthetics Int., 14(3), 165–177.
Zarnani, S., and Bathurst, R. J. (2008). “Numerical modeling of EPS seismic buffer shaking table tests.” J. Geotextile Geomembr., 26(5), 371–383.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 14 • Issue 6 • December 2014
Copyright
© 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Aug 7, 2013
Accepted: Feb 11, 2014
Published online: Feb 13, 2014
Discussion open until: Sep 3, 2014
Published in print: Dec 1, 2014
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.