Hydrophobized Granular Materials for Ground Infrastructure

Abstract

Functionalizing granular materials to render them hydrophobic allows their use in ground infrastructure to delay or restrict water infiltration and thus prevent their failure and long-term degradation. These materials with adjustable wetting properties offer several advantages over conventional ones (e.g., they are less intrusive) and enable ground infrastructures to adapt to extreme climatic conditions. However, hydrophobicity being a surface property results in a number of challenges that need to be addressed when used in ground infrastructure, such as transportation embankments or waste storage. The overarching aim of this paper is to provide an introduction and review of recent research on hydrophobized granular materials for ground infrastructure; this includes sample preparation, characterization, properties, and applications of hydrophobized granular materials.