Geomaterial characteristics of biodegradable wood waste

Construction wastes such as concrete and asphalt have been reduced, recycled and reused. On the other hand, wood waste has not been sufficiently recycled. Attempts to improve mechanical characteristics of the biodegradable plastic by mixing with the wood have been made in various fields. A granular material with biodegradability has already been developed in the process of producing gardening, dish plate, architecture material, etc. We are researching an applicability of the granular material for drainage layer in fill material. It is very important to develop a new geomaterial that have a long-term safety for environment. The granular material was buried under a clay ground and a degree of the biodegradation was measured. Mechanical behavior of the buried granular material was examined using unconfined and triaxial compression tests. As a result, the biodegradable ratio of the granular material is approximately 3% per a year. Furthermore, the internal friction angle of the granular material is almost constant, irrespective of the buried period.

recycling

biodegradable plastic

scrapped wood

Unconfined compression

triaxial compression