UTILIZATION OF WOOD DUST AS A SUSTAINABLE ADDITIVE IN ROAD CONSTRUCTION FOR SMART AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE

Abstract

Malaysia’s Public Works Department (JKR) estimates that over 60% of road construction materials consist of aggregates, sourced primarily from riverbeds, hillsides, and quarries. This reliance on non-renewable natural resources has resulted in serious environmental consequences, including deforestation, soil erosion, and biodiversity loss. Innovative green engineering solutions are one of the initiatives in reducing environmental impacts through the use of recycled materials. The use of recycled materials as additives in construction materials has the potential to reduce complete dependence on natural resources, especially in road construction engineering. This study was conducted to see whether wood sawdust can be used as an environmentally friendly additive in the subgrade layer of road pavement. The use of this waste wood sawdust was studied to see whether the road base layer mixed with wood sawdust can help reduce complete dependence on the natural soil layer. This study also aims to support green engineering through the use of industrial recycled materials. Soil samples in the laboratory were mixed with wood sawdust waste at a certain rate to evaluate the performance of each wood sawdust and soil mixture. The California Bearing Ratio (CBR) and Standard Proctor Compaction Test (SPCT) were conducted. The purpose of the test was to determine the Maximum Dry Density (MDD), Optimum Moisture Content (OMC), and the bearing capacity (CBR) of the subgrade soil layer in road pavement design. Findings showed that a combination of 5-10 percent of wood sawdust can enhance compaction and moisture control. While a mixture exceeding 10% will reduce the bearing capacity of the soil. Through this study, it can be shown that the use of industrial wood dust can be used as an additive in the construction of road base layers and is suitable for application on low-traffic roads. The use of this wood waste material also supports the use of industrial waste recycling and helps reduce the carbon footprint in road construction towards innovative green engineering products.