Assessment of the compression characteristics and coefficient of lateral earth pressure of aggregate-expanded polystyrene beads composite fill-backfill using large oedometer experiments

• Published in: Construction & building materials Vol. 302; p. 124145
• Main Authors: Kazempour, Shaghayegh, Chenari, Reza Jamshidi, Ahmadi, Hadi, Payan, Meghdad, Senetakis, Kostas
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 04.10.2021
• Subjects: Coefficient of volume compressibility; Composite aggregate; Constrained modulus; EPS beads; Lateral earth pressure; EPS beads; Lateral earth pressure; Coefficient of volume compressibility; Constrained modulus; Composite aggregate
• ISSN: 0950-0618; 1879-0526
• DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2021.124145

•The compression behaviour of aggregate-expanded polystyrene beads composites was studied.•A large size oedometer was used with inserted sensors to measure directly the lateral earth pressure.•The increase of aggregate size influenced the dominant load transfer mechanism and decreased K0.•A competitive interplay between angularity and uniformity coefficient of the aggregate was observed.•The increase of EPS content reversed the relationship between aggregate size and K0. We examined the compression behaviour of aggregate-expanded polystyrene (EPS) granular composites using large-size oedometer tests measuring directly the coefficient of lateral earth pressure at rest (K0). The results showed that increasing the aggregate particles size led to a decrease of K0 and the coefficient of volume compressibility, in pure aggregates and aggregate-EPS composites with rigid particles of d50<2mm. Increased angularity and coefficient of uniformity were observed to display competitive mechanisms in controlling K0. The increase of EPS content led to a transition from a behaviour dominated by aggregate contacts to aggregate-EPS and EPS-EPS major contributions in the load transfer mechanism.