I-Corps: A Recycled Plastic Pin for Highway Slope Stability

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the potential development of a possible solution for highway slope failure. Highway slope failure can be a common issue nationwide and highway agencies can spend millions of dollars on highway maintenance. The proposed technology may also assist in improving the nation’s need to improve its road infrastructure grade ‘D’.

The proposed technology could save costs compared to the current solutions available. While the primary beneficiary of this product will be the highway agencies, the landfill industry will be a secondary beneficiary because the proposed technology is produced from the recycling of plastic The potential use of plastic in transportation infrastructure projects could reduce the amount of plastic waste and may create an opportunity for the recycling industry to develop a market for this product.

This I-Corps project is based on the possible development of a technology to use recycled plastic in highway slope repair as a potentially innovative, low-cost, and sustainable solution. The technology has been successfully implemented in several field demonstration projects, and while the current solutions (i.e., soil nail, soil anchor, micropile) can be effective, they may be time-consuming and expensive.

The proposed work could answer important questions regarding a pathway for the future application and adoption of other alternative and sustainable materials in transportation infrastructure projects.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.