Shear Strength Behavior of Fiber-Reinforced Soil: Experimental Investigation and Prediction Model
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 22, Issue 9
Abstract
This paper presents a prediction model for the shear strength of fiber-reinforced soil. A series of triaxial compression tests were first conducted to investigate the influences of fiber content and fiber length on the shear strength behavior of fiber-reinforced soil under different confining pressures. Experimental results on the stress–strain relationship, shear strength improvement ratio, shear strength parameters, and reinforcement mechanism are presented and discussed. Results indicate that the shear strength of fiber-reinforced soil increases significantly with increasing fiber content, but there exists an optimal value for strength improvement. The fiber content and fiber length have little influence on the friction angle of fiber-reinforced soil, while the apparent cohesion increases significantly with increasing fiber content and fiber length. Based on the experimental data, a prediction model was proposed for the shear strength of fiber-reinforced soil using the concepts of equivalent apparent cohesion and equivalent normal stress. The model can capture the decrease in shear strength improvement effect due to excessive fibers and can predict the shear strength of fiber-reinforced soil with good accuracy using fiber parameters and shear strength parameters of unreinforced soil.
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Acknowledgments
This research is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 52078392). The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial assistance.
Notation
The following symbols are used in this paper:
- ca
- apparent cohesion of reinforced soil (kPa);
- ca,eq
- equivalent apparent cohesion of reinforced soil (kPa);
- c0
- cohesion of unreinforced soil (kPa);
- Df
- fiber diameter (mm);
- f
- friction of fibers-soil particles;
- Lf
- fiber length (mm);
- mf
- fiber mass (g);
- N
- contact normal stress of fiber-soil particles;
- P
- tension on fibers;
- Rs
- shear strength improvement ratio;
- V
- sample volume (cm3);
- Vf
- fiber volume (cm3);
- w
- natural moisture content;
- wl
- liquid limit;
- wop
- optimal moisture content;
- wp
- plastic limit;
- αf
- fiber distribution coefficient;
- α1, α2
- fitting parameter;
- δth
- optimal value of the χf · ηf;
- ɛ1
- axial strain;
- ηf
- aspect ratio of fiber;
- μ1, μ2
- fitting parameter;
- ρdmax
- maximum dry density of soil (g·cm−3);
- ρf
- density of fiber (g·cm−3);
- σn
- normal stress of reinforced soil (kPa);
- σn,eq
- equivalent normal stress of reinforced soil (kPa);
- σn,0
- normal stress of unreinforced soil (kPa);
- σx
- horizontal normal stress;
- σz
- vertical normal stress;
- σ1
- major principal stress or axial stress (kPa);
- σ3
- minor principal stress or confining pressure (kPa);
- τ
- shear strength (kPa);
- φ
- friction angle of reinforced soil (°);
- φ0
- friction angle of unreinforced soil (°); and
- χf
- volumetric fiber content.
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Published In
International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 22 • Issue 9 • September 2022
Copyright
© 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 19, 2021
Accepted: Apr 3, 2022
Published online: Jul 4, 2022
Published in print: Sep 1, 2022
Discussion open until: Dec 4, 2022
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