The Effect of Polypropylene Fiber in the Stabilization of Expansive Soils
Expansive soils are often encountered in many parts
of the world, especially in arid and semi-arid fields. Such kind of
soils, generally including active clay minerals in low water content,
enlarge in volume by absorbing the water through the surface and
cause a great harm to the light structures such as channel coating,
roads and airports. The expansive soils were encountered on the path
of Apa-Hotamış conveyance channel belonging to the State
Hydraulic Works in the region of Konya. In the research done in this
area, it is predicted that the soil has a swollen nature and the soil
should be filled with proper granular equipments by digging the
ground to 50-60 cm. In this study, for purpose of helping the other
research to be done in the same area, it is thought that instead of
replacing swollen soil with the granular soil, by stabilizing it with
polypropylene fiber and using it its original place decreases effect of
swelling percent, in this way the cost will be decreased. Therefore,
laboratory tests were conducted to study the effects of polypropylene
fiber on swelling characteristics of expansive soil. Test results
indicated that inclusion of fiber reduced swell percent of expansive
soil. As the fiber content increased, the unconfined compressive
strength was increased. Finally, it can be said that stabilization of
expansive soils with polypropylene fiber is an effective method.
[1] D.E. Jones and W. G. Holtz, Expansive Soils—The Hidden Disaster,
Civil Engineering, 1973; 43(8), 49-51.
[2] G. X. Li, L. Chen, J. Q. Zheng and Y. X. Jie, “Experimental study on
fiber-reinforced cohesive soil”, Shuili Xuebao/ Journal of Hydraulic
Engineering, 1995; 6, 31–36 (in Chinese).
[3] J. E. Loehr, P.J. Axtell and J. J. Bowders, “Reduction of soil swell
potential with fiber reinforcement”, GeoEng (2000).
[4] J. Prabakar and R. S. Sridhar, “Effect of random inclusion of sisal fiber
on strength behavior of soil”. Construction and Building Materials,
2002; 16, 123-131.
[5] G. X. Wu, “The research of enforcing role on glass fiber to stabilizing
soil of cement-fly ash”. Journal of Heilongjiang Institute of Science,
2002; 12 (3), 24-27.
[6] Y. Cai, B. Shi, C. W. W. Ng and C. S. Tang, “Effect of polypropylene
fiber and lime admixture on engineering properties of clay soil”. Eng.
Geol. (Amsterdam), 2006; 87, 230-240.
[7] A. Puppala and C. Musenda, “Effects of Fiber Reinforcement on
Strength and Volume Change in Expansive Soils”. Journal of the
Transportation Research Board, 2007; 134-140.
[8] M. F. Attom and A. K. Al-Tamimi, “Effects of Polypropylene Fibers on
the Shear Strength of Sandy Soil”. International Journal of Geosciences,
2010; 44-50.
[9] B. J. Freilich, J. G. Zornberg, “Effective shear strength of fiberreinforced
clays”. 9th International Conference on Geosynthetics, Brazil,
2010.
[10] Y. Yılmaz and K. Karatas, “Effect of Polypropylene Fiber on the
Strength Characteristics of Lightly Cemented Clayey Soil Mixtures”.
2011; 707-716.
[11] M. Olgun, “Effects of polypropylene fiber inclusion on the strength and
volume change characteristics of cement-fly ash stabilized clay soil”,
Geosynthetics International, 2013; 20 (4), 263-275.
[1] D.E. Jones and W. G. Holtz, Expansive Soils—The Hidden Disaster,
Civil Engineering, 1973; 43(8), 49-51.
[2] G. X. Li, L. Chen, J. Q. Zheng and Y. X. Jie, “Experimental study on
fiber-reinforced cohesive soil”, Shuili Xuebao/ Journal of Hydraulic
Engineering, 1995; 6, 31–36 (in Chinese).
[3] J. E. Loehr, P.J. Axtell and J. J. Bowders, “Reduction of soil swell
potential with fiber reinforcement”, GeoEng (2000).
[4] J. Prabakar and R. S. Sridhar, “Effect of random inclusion of sisal fiber
on strength behavior of soil”. Construction and Building Materials,
2002; 16, 123-131.
[5] G. X. Wu, “The research of enforcing role on glass fiber to stabilizing
soil of cement-fly ash”. Journal of Heilongjiang Institute of Science,
2002; 12 (3), 24-27.
[6] Y. Cai, B. Shi, C. W. W. Ng and C. S. Tang, “Effect of polypropylene
fiber and lime admixture on engineering properties of clay soil”. Eng.
Geol. (Amsterdam), 2006; 87, 230-240.
[7] A. Puppala and C. Musenda, “Effects of Fiber Reinforcement on
Strength and Volume Change in Expansive Soils”. Journal of the
Transportation Research Board, 2007; 134-140.
[8] M. F. Attom and A. K. Al-Tamimi, “Effects of Polypropylene Fibers on
the Shear Strength of Sandy Soil”. International Journal of Geosciences,
2010; 44-50.
[9] B. J. Freilich, J. G. Zornberg, “Effective shear strength of fiberreinforced
clays”. 9th International Conference on Geosynthetics, Brazil,
2010.
[10] Y. Yılmaz and K. Karatas, “Effect of Polypropylene Fiber on the
Strength Characteristics of Lightly Cemented Clayey Soil Mixtures”.
2011; 707-716.
[11] M. Olgun, “Effects of polypropylene fiber inclusion on the strength and
volume change characteristics of cement-fly ash stabilized clay soil”,
Geosynthetics International, 2013; 20 (4), 263-275.
@article{"International Journal of Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences:70793", author = "A. S. Soğancı", title = "The Effect of Polypropylene Fiber in the Stabilization of Expansive Soils", abstract = "Expansive soils are often encountered in many parts
of the world, especially in arid and semi-arid fields. Such kind of
soils, generally including active clay minerals in low water content,
enlarge in volume by absorbing the water through the surface and
cause a great harm to the light structures such as channel coating,
roads and airports. The expansive soils were encountered on the path
of Apa-Hotamış conveyance channel belonging to the State
Hydraulic Works in the region of Konya. In the research done in this
area, it is predicted that the soil has a swollen nature and the soil
should be filled with proper granular equipments by digging the
ground to 50-60 cm. In this study, for purpose of helping the other
research to be done in the same area, it is thought that instead of
replacing swollen soil with the granular soil, by stabilizing it with
polypropylene fiber and using it its original place decreases effect of
swelling percent, in this way the cost will be decreased. Therefore,
laboratory tests were conducted to study the effects of polypropylene
fiber on swelling characteristics of expansive soil. Test results
indicated that inclusion of fiber reduced swell percent of expansive
soil. As the fiber content increased, the unconfined compressive
strength was increased. Finally, it can be said that stabilization of
expansive soils with polypropylene fiber is an effective method.", keywords = "Expansive soils, polypropylene fiber, stabilization,
swelling percent.", volume = "9", number = "8", pages = "986-4", }