Evaluation of Unconfined Compression Area Correction Methods for Cementitious and Fiber Stabilized Fine Grained Soils

Cementitious and fiber stabilized fine grained materials with high moisture contents are not routinely tested in large quantities for quantification of material properties. This paper provides needed area correction guidance using a data set containing on the order of 1,300 unconfined compression tests where approximately 10% of the specimens were reinforced with fibers. During testing, the shapes of the specimens were measured to allow calculation of the actual area. Three area correction methods are provided by ASTM standards, and these corrections are a function of the shape the specimen takes during loading. A fourth area correction method was suggested in this paper for cementitious and fiber stabilized fine grained soils as the methods in the ASTM standards did not adequately represent the shapes measured during testing. The paper also assesses the consequence of the area correction method employed for the ductile fiber reinforced specimens in terms of ultimate stress and strain.