Global Waste Research Institute

Transforming waste into opportunities

Sustainable Reuse of Corrugated Board in Civil Engineering Applications

Project Summary: This study is conducted to investigate beneficial reuse of corrugated board in civil engineering applications. Paper and paperboard represent the highest fraction of municipal solid waste by weight generated (33%) and disposed (22%) in the U.S. In 2007, the amount of paper and paperboard generated and disposed of were 83 and 38 million tons, respectively. Corrugated board is well suited for use in civil engineering for low-strength and/or short-service life applications. In particular, use of corrugated board is evaluated for slurry, drilling mud, landfill daily cover, and controlled low strength material (CLSM) applications. Tests are conducted to determine the effectiveness of pulped corrugated board to replace bentonite in slurry and drilling mud mixes; direct use of pulped corrugated board as a daily cover material in landfills; and pulped corrugated board to replace fine aggregate in CLSM. These selected applications provide new and viable alternatives for beneficial reuse of paper and paperboard products. 

Principal Investigator: Jim Hanson, Nazli Yesiller, and Jay Singh

Funding Agency: Office of Naval Research

Publications:
Hanson, J. L., Stone, G. M., and Yesiller, N., (2012), “Use of Post-Consumer Corrugated Board as Fine Aggregate Replacement in Controlled Low Strength Materials,” Journal of ASTM International, ASTM, Vol. 9, No. 2, p. 562-579.
[Download pdf]
 

Yesiller, N., Stone, G. M., and Hanson, J. L., (2011), “Beneficial Reuse of Corrugated Board in Civil Engineering Applications,”Proceedings of the Ninth Japanese Geotechnical Society National Symposium on Environmental Geotechnics, Japanese Geotechnical Society, Tokyo, p. 379-384.
[Download pdf] 

Hanson, J. L., Yesiller, N., Singh, J., Stone, G. M., and Stephens, A., (2010), “Beneficial Reuse of Corrugated Board in Slurry Applications,” Geoenvironmental Engineering and Geotechnics – Progress in Modeling and ApplicationsASCE GSP 204, Q. He and S.-L. Shen Eds., ASCE, p. 132-139.
[Download pdf] 

Slurry Mix

Filter Cake Test

Separation-Sedimentation Tests

Related Content