This project focuses on beneficial use of DM as an alternative material for earthwork construction applications in the transportation sector (e.g., embankments, pavement base, etc.). The long term objective of the effort is to contribute to sustainable construction by facilitating use of DM instead of natural mined materials. The immediate objective, as described here and summarized in Figure 1.1, is to produce a set of guidelines that explicitly links together: 1) applications for the use of DM as construction materials in transportation-related earthwork projects, 2) required geotechnical properties of materials for specific construction applications, 3) geotechnical laboratory and field test methods available to determine these properties, 4) specifications (values) of these properties required for specific transportation-related projects, and 5) locations within the Great Lakes from which dredged materials having properties meeting these specifications may be sourced. The project is intended to build upon existing and more general frameworks for beneficial use of DM from the Great Lakes region (Great Lakes Commission, 2004) but within the specific context of using DM in the transportation construction sector. Emphasis is placed entirely on suitability in terms of physical characteristics. Suitability in terms of toxicity or environmental characteristics of the material is assumed.
The full thesis may be found in the following file: