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I am a Doctoral Researcher at the School of Engineering, Design and Built Environment at Western Sydney University, specializing in geotechnical engineering. I have been awarded the Western Sydney University Postgraduate Research Scholarship for my higher degree research. I hold a B.Sc. (Hons.) in Civil Engineering and an M.Sc. in Geotechnical Engineering from the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. My doctoral research focuses on advancing the use of Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) geofoam in embankment construction under the supervision of Professor Samanthika Liyanapathirana and Professor Chin Leo. My work aims to contribute to innovative, sustainable solutions in geotechnical engineering.

Supipi Kaushalya

Application of Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) Geofoam for Embankments

PROJECT

 


Expanded polystyrene (EPS) geofoam is widely used in geotechnical engineering applications as a construction material due to its advantageous mechanical properties, such as its extremely low density compared to that of other construction materials, volume contraction under compressive loading, comparatively higher modulus of elasticity, and the existence of post-yielding strain hardening. Since the 1950s, EPS geofoam has been primarily used in embankment construction as a lightweight fill material. When EPS geofoam is used as a fill material, its stress-strain (constitutive) response in compression plays a significant role in the design consideration. Several constitutive models have been developed to predict the constitutive behaviour of EPS geofoam. However, there is a gap in estimating the mechanical response of EPS geofoam under cyclic loading conditions and temperature fluctuations. In this research, an advanced constitutive model is developed to incorporate these factors. Particularly in the construction of road embankments, it is vital to investigate the performance of EPS geofoam under cyclic loading due to heavy vehicles and extreme temperatures experienced during summer and winter. Determining the interfacial properties between each EPS block and between EPS blocks and the soil is essential in designing road embankments combined with EPS geofoam blocks. It is crucial to investigate the overall stability of the embankment realistically. However, most numerical analyses on the stability of embankments with geofoam have been performed by modelling the EPS layers as a continuum medium without introducing the interfacial properties between blocks. Thus, there is still a gap in understanding the blocky effect of EPS block arrangement. Therefore, in this research, a comprehensive discrete modelling framework is also developed for embankments, where the fill material is partially replaced with EPS blocks. It is essential to study the impact of misaligned and misplaced blocks on the overall stability of road embankments.


A poster with a lot of text and pictures on it.