Date of Award
2024
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Civil and Environmental Engineering
First Advisor
Matthew J. Scarborough
Second Advisor
Mandar M. Dewoolkar
Abstract
Glass waste poses an environmental challenge and only a small portion is currently being recycled globally. One innovative solution is to transform waste glass into processed glass aggregate (PGA). PGA can potentially replace sand as a construction material. However, the widespread use of PGA is hindered by the presence of deleterious materials. More importantly, there are no standardized methods to determine deleterious material quantity or composition. The research herein aims to develop and validate easy, accessible, and reliable methods for identifying, separating, and quantifying deleterious materials from PGA to assess its use as replacement for sand borrow in construction projects. The primary aim of this study was to quantify the total combined deleterious material content (DMC) as well as the plastic content. Two protocols were assessed and validated for the purpose, using lab-manufactured PGA, and were found to be effective and largely operator independent. Protocol 1, combination of magnet and combustion test was used for determining the overall DMC for PGA samples. Protocol 2, i.e. density separation with water, was tailored specifically to quantify plastic content. Additional protocols such as manual separation and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) were used for detailed assessment of plastics. The study also evaluated the geotechnical properties of PGAs obtained from recycling facilities, confirming that their particle size, hydraulic characteristics, and shear strength are comparable to those of standard sand borrow samples. The study also evidenced that up to 5% of deleterious materials do not have a significant change in the engineering properties of PGA. The economic and environmental impacts of PGA were also assessed using Vermont as a case study. The findings revealed that using PGA on-site within Vermont can convert the current loss into a profit, allowing PGA to be given away without incurring a loss. Even if charged, the cost of PGA would still be lower than the current price of raw sand borrow. Moreover, utilizing PGA on-site showed a reduction in CO2 emissions. This helps establish PGA as a viable construction material comparable to sand borrow.
Language
en
Number of Pages
202 p.
Recommended Citation
Subedi, Neha, "Utilization Of Processed Glass Aggregate As A Replacement Of Sand Borrow In Earthwork Construction: Geotechnical, Environmental And Economic Assessment With A Focus On Deleterious Materials" (2024). Graduate College Dissertations and Theses. 1960.
https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/graddis/1960