A Comparative Study of Geocell Reinforced Weak Subgrade with Aggregate and CDW as Infill Materials Under Wheel Load

Pavements are structures designed to distribute traffic load to the underlying layers, where the subgrade conditions significantly impact long-term performance. Weak subgrades pose a significant challenge to road construction and maintenance due to their low bearing capacity and susceptibility to deformation. Geocell reinforcement has emerged as a promising solution to enhance the performance of weak subgrades. This study investigates the effectiveness of geocell reinforcement using various infill waste materials under moving wheel load conditions. A series of experimental tests were conducted over weak subgrade specimens filled with geocell reinforced waste material like construction demolition waste (CDW) and conventional infill material like natural aggregate. The performance of the reinforced subgrades was evaluated based on rutting behavior. The results indicate that geocell reinforcement significantly reduced the settlement of weak subgrades compared to unreinforced specimens. Furthermore, the type and properties of the infill waste material have a notable influence on the performance of the reinforced pavement which infill performed better. This research provides valuable insights into the use of geocell reinforcement with various infill waste materials for sustainable and cost-effective enhancement of weak subgrade stability in road construction projects.