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Impact of Plastic Waste, Lime and Cement on the Strength Properties of Laterite Soil for Sustainable Pavement Construction

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Abstract:

The rapid increase in plastic waste generation and the quest for sustainable road construction materials have stimulated interest in utilizing waste plastics as soil stabilizers. This study comparatively investigates the effects of shredded plastic waste (SPW) combined with lime and cement on the geotechnical and strength properties of laterite soil for road pavement applications. Laboratory tests were conducted on the natural and laterite soil samples stabilized with 0–2% shredded plastic waste, combined with 6% lime and 6% cement. Experimental tests performed on the soil specimens include index, compaction, California Bearing Ratio (CBR), and unconfined compressive strength (UCS). Results showed that both lime and cement reduced soil’s plasticity index but enhanced the strength properties of the laterite soil. The PI value decreased by approximately 31% and 38% when adding 6% cement and 6% lime, respectively. Findings further revealed that incorporating shredded plastic waste to soil significantly improved strength when combined with lime or cement. The optimum performance was obtained at 0.5% plastic waste, with increasing soaked CBR value from 20.4% for natural soil to 67.8% and 52.0% under West African Standard (WAS) compaction for 6% lime and 6% cement additions, respectively. Additionally, the corresponding 7 days UCS values were 603.3 kPa and 412.6 kPa, revealing the superior performance of lime-plastic stabilization over the cement. However, 0.5-1.0% plastic waste for both 6% cement and 6% lime produced soaked CBR values that are higher than 30% minimum specified for subbase layer, and this range of plastic addition is therefore recommended for improving the strength of the laterite soil. The research supports the sustainable use of plastic waste and conventional stabilizers in improving pavement layers for low-cost and durable road construction.

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International Journal of Engineering Research in Africa Vol. 80 View Preview

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Periodical:

International Journal of Engineering Research in Africa (Volume 80)

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137-156

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4028/p-nJD3gR

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Online since:

July 2026

Authors:

Solomon Adedokun*, Gideon Olaleye, Abdulhameid Apatira

Keywords:

Cement Stabilization, Laterite Soil, Lime Stabilization, Plastic Waste, Strength Properties

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© 2026 Trans Tech Publications Ltd. All Rights Reserved

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