Experimental Assessment of Reused PET Geogrids for Reinforcement of Unpaved Rural Roads

New methods to reuse waste have become a priority due to the accumulation of plastic waste. In Panama, a sparse 5% of plastic waste is recycled, indicating that there is a large amount which is deposited in sanitary landfills. Unpaved roads are frequently used in rural regions of Panama, where the volume of traffic does not justify the investment of a paved road or street. However, it is important to mention that these rural roads are of vital importance for the transport of agro-industrial products, as well as the transit of tractors and machinery. The objective of this research is to evaluate the behavior of plastic waste used as raw material to create a geogrid prototype that can be installed in unpaved roads, improving their performance. The determination of its effectiveness will be analyzed by subjecting plastic waste to mechanical tests in accordance with applicable international standards, which include the characterization of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Results from this research show that the tensile resistance of PET strips is somewhat in range with lowperformance geogrids, however plate load testing seems to indicate that inclusion of these elements compromises the performance of an unpaved road section.