Development of a Geomaterial from Dredged Bay Mud

Abstract

The lack of construction materials in the coastal areas and the high cost of importing good-quality soil creates the need for developing new technologies to manufacture engineered fills using low-quality materials obtained from a seabed. This study presents results of a series of tests conducted to obtain field data related to basic engineering properties of a geomaterial comprised of the mud dredged from Tokyo Bay, mixed with lightweight additives, such a foam or expanded polystyrol beads, and portland cement as a binder. Due to discrepancies that may exist in laboratory-prepared samples, a field study was launched to replicate the actual construction conditions. Relationships are developed to correlate various engineering properties of the geomaterial in terms of strength, modulus of elasticity, and deformation characteristics.