Analysis of the mechanical properties of sisal fiber reinforced clay for soil enhancement:

Abstract

Geotechnical engineers face various problems while designing clay foundations due to low shearing strength, low bearing capacity and excessive settlement. So, they overcome that with different engineering works but in this project, I chose sisal fibers to improve the parameters of the soil, this method is cost effective and environmentally friendly. Clay samples were taken from Nanguddi village, Busitema sub county, Busia district. The sisal fibers were obtained from Shaule village in Busitema sub-county and were used for reinforcement. The sisal fibers were treated with benzoylation treatment and its strength tested. To review the engineering properties of the soil, various laboratory tests were carried out like Atterberg limit tests, natural moisture content, particle size distribution, specific gravity, Standard Proctor compaction test. The sisal fibers were chopped into different fiber length of 0.0 cm, 0.3 cm, 1.0 cm, 1.7 cm and 2.0 cm and varied in different percentages of 0.5%, 0.9%, 1.8% and 2.6% and 3.0% by weight of soil samples and they were randomly distributed and compacted to the maximum dry density at the optimum moisture content. The effect of fiber addition on the soil was evaluated by performing an undrained unconsolidated triaxial shear test. The results indicate that with a fiber length of 1.1cm and content of 2.1%, sisal fiber-reinforced clay is 49.5% stronger than nonreinforced clay. The results of these tests have clearly shown a significant improvement in the failure deviator stress and undrained shear strength of the studied soil. It can be concluded that sisal fiber can be considered as a good earth reinforcement material Key words: clay, sisal fiber, Atterberg limit, particle size distribution, standard proctor compaction unconsolidated undrained triaxial shear.