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

这个i-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是潜在地开发了一种可能的高速公路斜坡破坏解决方案。公路斜坡坍塌可能是全国范围内的常见问题，公路机构可能会在公路维护上花费数百万美元。这项拟议的技术还可能有助于改善国家改善其D级道路基础设施的需求。与目前可用的解决方案相比，拟议的技术可以节省成本。虽然这种产品的主要受益者将是高速公路机构，但垃圾填埋业将是次要受益者，因为拟议的技术是从塑料回收中产生的。在交通基础设施项目中潜在地使用塑料可以减少塑料垃圾的数量，并可能为回收行业为这种产品开发市场创造机会。这个i-Corps项目是基于一项可能的技术开发的，该技术将回收塑料用于高速公路斜坡修复，作为一种潜在的创新、低成本和可持续的解决方案。该技术已在几个现场示范项目中成功实施，虽然目前的解决方案(即土钉、土锚、微型桩)可以有效，但它们可能耗时和昂贵。这项拟议的工作可能会回答有关未来在交通基础设施项目中应用和采用其他替代和可持续材料的途径的重要问题。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

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.