Long Term Performance of Shallow Slopes Stabilized with Recycled Plastic Pins

摘要

Periods of prolonged rainfall events give rise to sloughing and surficial failures of slopes underlain by expansive clayey soils, resulting in significant maintenance costs for various transportation agencies. Recycled plastic pins (RPP) are a sustainable and cost-effective solution to stabilize such surficial slope failures due to their long-term endurance against degradation. The objective of the current study is to evaluate long term performance of shallow slopes stabilized with recycled plastic pins. Two highway embankments in North Texas, where cracks were observed along the shoulder due to surficial movement of the slopes, were stabilized using RPPs. Inclinometer casings were installed in the slopes to monitor the lateral movement, while topographical surveying was carried out regularly for monitoring the vertical settlement. The long-term performance of the stabilized sections was evaluated between 4 years and 7 years. Based on the study, it was concluded that RPP can be utilized as a sustainable solution for shallow slope failure.