미세플라스틱 혼입률에 따른 지반의 전단거동

초록

Environmental pollution caused by microplastics has recently emerged as a global concern. In marine environments, microplastics are consumed by organisms and transferred through the food chain; in soils, they persist for long periods in agricultural fields and landfills; and in the atmosphere, they remain suspended and can be transported over long distances. Microplastics are small plastic particles (below 5 mm) found in various media, including air, water, and soil. Although extensive environmental studies have been conducted, research from a geotechnical engineering perspective remains limited. In this study, compaction and direct shear tests were performed on standard sand specimens prepared by mixing microplastics (0%–8%). The results revealed that shear strength increased at contents of 2%–6% but decreased at higher contents. These findings indicate that microplastic content can influence the shear strength of soils, highlighting the need to develop evaluation criteria that consider microplastic inclusion in geotechnical stability assessments.

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