Abstract:
Population growth and the expansion of settlements and infrastructure into areas
prone to unstable landslides significantly increase the potential for damage,
impacting both developed and developing countries. Limited resources often
hinder developing countries' ability to implement expensive preventative
measures. Moreover, Polystyrene represents a considerable portion (around 10%)
of total plastic waste, posing a significant environmental burden due to its poor
recycling rates. This study investigates the potential use of this waste-expanded
polystyrene (EPS) mixed with clays in shredded foam as a sustainable and costeffective solution for slope stabilization. This approach utilizes 0% to 2.5%
shredded EPS mixed with low plastic as lightweight fill materials for slope
reinforcement, alongside benching techniques. The effectiveness is evaluated
using stability analysis software (Slide2D).
Key findings demonstrate that incorporating 1.5% EPS-clay mixtures significantly
improves the Factor of Safety (FOS) in various slope scenarios. Notably, FOS
increased from 0.83 to 1.4 in Danna Sahotar and 0.335 to 1.42 in Qalandarabad.
This research highlights the potential of EPS-clay mixtures as a sustainable
alternative for slope stabilization, offering advantages like reduced material weight,
improved drainage, and potential internal shear strength benefits. The findings
suggest that the technique might be particularly effective on gentle slopes like,
while steeper slopes might require additional reinforcement.
