BULACAN STATE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
City of Malolos, Bulacan

NAME: Alcantara, Evangelista J, Evangelista M, Sapongay COURSE& SECT: BSCE- 4A

Proposed Title: Soil Stabilization using Plastic

REASON(s) / JUSTIFICATION(s) IN CHOOSING THE TOPIC:

Use of plastic is increasing day by day. The disposal of the plastic wastes without causing
any ecological hazards has become a real challenge to the present society. Thus using plastic as a
soil stabilizer is an economical and gainful utilization since there is scarcity of good quality soil
for embankments and fills. Thus, using plastic as soil stabilizer is an ecological utilization since
there is scarcity of good soil for construction. This project involves the study on the possible use
of waste plastic.
Soil stabilization is the process of improving the physical and chemical properties of soil.
Stabilization helps to increase the shear strength and controls the shrink-swell properties of soil.
It also improves the load-bearing capacity of the soil to support pavements and foundations. In
the construction field, soil stabilization plays a vital role especially during the design and
construction of foundations. There are many existing techniques or materials available to achieve
soil stabilization. The use of plastic waste as a stabilizer makes the soil stabilization process
more cheap and eco-friendly.
Plastic increases the shear strength and tensile strength of soil. It can significantly
enhance the properties of the soil used in the construction of road infrastructure and available
abundance. It has a numerous properties that make them superior to other materials in many
applications. The different types of properties are physical properties and chemical properties.
Plastic has transparency, flexibility, elasticity, water resistant, electrical resistance and
soft when it is hot. Soil is naturally occurring materials that are used for the construction of all
except the surface layers of pavements and that are subjected to classification tests to provide a
general concept of their engineering characteristics. Chemical resistance, thermal resistance,
reactivity with water, flammability, heat of combustion etc., are the basic chemical properties of
plastic.
Applications of Soil stabilization using plastic:

 Reduce the permeability of soil.

 Increase the bearing capacity of soil.
 Increase the shear strength of soil.
 Improves the durability.
 Avoids disposal problems of plastic.
 Reduction in cracks and swelling.
 Increase CBR values.