Building sustainably with recycled materials and geosynthetics

Recycled aggregate combined with a geosynthetic reinforcement offers a strong, flexible and low-carbon construction method.

Our research focuses on how recycled aggregate affects geosynthetic reinforcement.

We study the pH levels in recycled aggregate, how they change over time, and what this means for the strength of the geosynthetic reinforcement.

Purpose of the research

Track how pH levels in mixed aggregate change over time
Assess the impact of high pH on geosynthetic (PET) soil reinforcement under stress
Develop standard test methods for these assessments
Provide recommendations for:

Long-term and short-term lab tests and field measurements of pH development
Develop test setups to expose PET reinforcement to high pH and tensile stress
Conduct series of tests on geosynthetic samples
Publish detailed descriptions of test setups and results
Analyze findings and make recommendations for design and assessment of existing structures

The consortium includes two major infrastructure owners, three research organizations and a group of manufacturers: