Large volumes of earthen materials are used in geotechnical construction each year in the world. In many cases, these materials can be replaced with suitable solid waste and industrial byproducts that are normally disposed in landfills. Legislations have been promulgated in many countries that remove barriers to large-scale beneficial reuse of industrial by-products. Reuse in construction has several benefits, including reduction in solid waste disposal costs incurred by industry, reduction in landfill requirements, minimization of damage to natural resources caused by excavating earthen materials for construction, obtaining added value from waste materials, conservation of production energy, and ultimately providing sustainable construction and economic growth. On the other hand, leaching of undesired compounds from the industrial by-products has always been the primary concern for designers and engineers. This issue becomes more critical if recycled materials are used in critical applications or in construction of roadway at the vicinity of groundwater and surface waters. This seminar will profile several applications of recycled materials in geotechnical construction. The seminar will highlight the holistic approach, including the mechanical, environmental, geochemical, economic, as well as field and model-based approach to material utilization in such applications.
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