ABSTRACT
The valorisation of Construction and Demolition Wastes (C&DW) is nowadays an imperative since it reduces the use of natural resources and avoids congesting landfills with these inert materials. The use of C&DW in geotechnical works, such as geosynthetic reinforced structures, is an interesting alternative from an economic and environmental perspective. This paper presents the mechanical, chemical and environmental degradation induced by fine grain recycled aggregate coming from C&DW on the short-term tensile behaviour of a uniaxial geogrid manufactured of extruded polyester (PET). In order to study the chemical and environmental degradation a damage trial embankment was constructed using C&DW as filling material. The damage caused by the mechanical actions during installation was also simulated by mechanical damage under repeated loading tests. Wide width tensile tests were carried out on geogrid samples exhumed from the trial embankment after 12 months of exposure, on laboratory damaged samples and on intact samples. Their short-term tensile behaviour is compared. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of intact and exhumed specimens are also presented.
