Moch Khamim, Raden Ajeng Mariyana, Roland Gasenda Suryaningrat, Mohamad Zenurianto, Sugeng Hadi Susilo
This paper discusses soil stability with high water content and low bearing capacity, which can damage the pavement and shorten the lifespan of the toll road. The problem is that high water content and low soil carrying capacity can trigger subgrade instability and decreased pavement performance. Experimental variations using plastic waste with a percentage of 7%, 10%, and 15%, paper waste with a percentage of 4%, 8%, and 10%into the original soil. The results showed that the addition of plastic and paper waste increases soil strength and CBR values significantly compared to conventional stabilizers. Plastic increases shear resistance and decreases development potential, while paper increases cohesion A combination of 10% plastic waste and 8% paper waste provides optimal results that meet the subgrade stabilization criteria, with a CBR value reaching 10.5% on the 11th day. Excessive use of these materials decreases soil density and CBR. This result is caused by a complementary mechanism, where plastic acts as a binder that reduces soil moisture content and plasticity, while paper fibers strengthen the soil matrix through increased cohesion. The synergy of two types of waste in the optimum proportion produces reliable, sustainable, and more economical stabilization performance than traditional alternatives such as cement or lime. Use is suitable for regions with unstable subgrade and high water content, with prerequisites for the availability of waste material, controlling proportions (± 10% plastic, ± 8% paper), homogeneous mixing, and compaction according to technical specifications. This approach offers practical, cost-effective and environmentally friendly solutions to improve road infrastructure Copyright © 2025 Authors.
Department of Civil Engineering, State Polytechnic of Malang, Soekarno Hatta str., 9, Malang, 65141, Indonesia; Department of Civil Engineering, State Polytechnic of Malang, Soekarno Hatta str., 9, Malang, 65141, Indonesia; Department of Mechanical Engineering, State Polytechnic of Malang, Soekarno Hatta str., 9, Malang, 65141, Indonesia