Triaxial tests of sand reinforced with 3D inclusions: Fid-Bau Portal

Triaxial tests of sand reinforced with 3D inclusions

Zhang, M.X. / Javadi, A.A. / Min, X.

Due to its cost-saving, ease of construction and ability to improve the visual appearance, reinforced soil has been widely used in geotechnical engineering applications such as construction of road and railway embankments, stabilization of slopes, improvement of soft ground, etc. In conventional reinforced soils, the reinforcements are often laid horizontally in the soil. In this paper, a new concept of soil reinforced with three-dimensional (3D) is proposed. In this concept, besides conventional horizontal reinforcements some vertical and 3D reinforcing elements are also used. A comprehensive set of triaxial tests was carried out on sand with 3D reinforcements (made of galvanized iron sheet and hard plastic sheet). The behaviour of the sand reinforced with different 3D configurations is studied in terms of stress-strain relationship and shear strength of the soil. Comparison is made between stress-strain relationship and shear strength of the soil reinforced with horizontal and with 3D elements. The influences of the height of vertical reinforcing elements, the Young's modulus of reinforcement materials and confining pressure on strength of reinforced sand are discussed. The experimental results show that 3D reinforcement not only gives an apparent cohesion to the soil (sand), but it also increases the angle of internal friction significantly, especially with double-sided 3D reinforcing elements. Different configurations of 3D reinforcing elements are discussed and compared.