Use of Microgrid Fiber as a New Reinforcement Additive to Improve Compressive Strength and Ductility Properties of Cement Stabilized Sands

Document Type : Research Papers

Author

Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Giresun University, Giresun, Turkey.

Abstract

In this study, the use of a new polypropylene geofiber type called Microgrid Fiber (MGF) was investigated in comparison with a conventional Polypropylene Fiber (PPF) product. Uniaxial Compressive Strength (UCS), modulus of elasticity, ductility, and energy absorption capacities of Cement Stabilized Sand (CSS) mixes reinforced with different polypropylene type geofiber additives were investigated, carrying out a series of uniaxial deformability tests. According to the results, MGF-type fibers increased the strength and modulus of elasticity values at higher rates in comparison with the conventional PPF product. For the same fiber content, MGF-type new additive supplied up to 31% higher UCS values and 26% higher modulus elasticity values than those of the specimens with the conventional PPF additive. In addition, it was determined that MGF-type new fiber additives can supply better increases in ductility and Energy Absorption Capacity (EAC) properties of the CSS compared to the conventional PPF product. Rather than the conventional fiber, the novel MGF additives were assessed to be more effective for having proper adherence and soil reinforcement performances.

Keywords


ASTM D2166/D2166M. (2013). “Standard test method for unconfined compressive strength of cohesive soil”, ASTM Int., West Conshohocken.
ASTM D1632-17e1. (2020). “Standard practice for making and curing oil-cement compression and flexure test specimens in the laboratory”, ASTM Int., West Conshohocken.
Ayeldeen, M., Azzam, W. and Arab, M.G. (2022). “The use of fiber to improve the characteristics of collapsible soil stabilized with cement”, Geotechnical and Geological Engineering, 40, 1873-1885, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-021-01997-4.
Cao, S., Yilmaz, E. and Song, W. (2019). “Fiber type effect on strength, toughness and microstructure of early age cemented tailings backfill”, Construction and Building Materials, 223, 44-54, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2019.06.221.
Chebbi, M., Guiras, H. and Jamei, M. (2020). “Tensile behaviour analysis of compacted clayey soil reinforced with natural and synthetic fibers: effect of initial compaction conditions”, European Journal of Environmental and Civil Engineering, 24(3), 354-380, https://doi.org/10.1080/19648189.2017.1384762.
Divya, P.V., Viswanadham, B.V.S. and Gourc, J.P. (2020). “Influence of fibre morphology on the integrity of geofibre-reinforced soil barriers”, Geosynthetics International, 27(5), 460-475, https://doi.org/10.1680/jgein.20.00006.
Fatahi, B., Le, T.M., Fatahi, B. and Khabbaz, H. (2013). “Shrinkage properties of soft clay treated with cement and geofibers”, Geotechnical and Geological Engineering, 31, 1421-1435, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-013-9666-y.
Firoozi, A.A., Guney Olgun, C., Firoozi, A.A. and Baghini, M.S. (2017). “Fundamentals of soil stabilization”, International Journal of Geo-Engineering, 8, 26, https://doi.org/10.1186/s40703-017-0064-9.
Ghanbari, M. and Bayat, M. (2022). “Effectiveness of reusing steel slag powder and polypropylene fiber on the enhanced mechanical characteristics of cement-stabilized sand”, Civil Engineering Infrastructures Journal, 55(2), 241-257, https://doi.org/10.22059/ceij.2021.319310.1742.
Gu, M., Han, J. and Zhao, M. (2017). “Three-dimensional DEM analysis of single geogrid-encased stone columns under unconfined compression: a parametric study”, Acta Geotechnica, 12, 559-572, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-017-0547-z.
Gui, Y., Wong, W.Y. and Gallage, C. (2022). “Effectiveness and sensitivity of fiber inclusion on desiccation cracking behavior of reinforced clayey soil”, International Journal of Geomechanics, 22(3), https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0002278.
Gul, N. and Mir, B.A. (2022). “Parametric study of glass fiber reinforced fine-grained soil with emphasis on microstructural analysis”, International Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, 16(6), 716-728, https://doi.org/10.1080/19386362.2022.2049524.
Hajitaheriha, M.M., Akbarimehr, D., Hasani Motlagh, A. and Damerchilou, H. (2021). “Bearing capacity improvement of shallow foundations using a trench filled with granular materials and reinforced with geogrids”, Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 14, 1431, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-021-07679-y.
Isik, F., Akbulut, R.K. and Zaimoglu, A.S. (2021). "Influence of waste toothbrush fiber on strength and freezing-thawing behavior in high plasticity clay", Studia Geotechnica et Mechanica, 43(1), 15-21, https://doi.org/10.2478/sgem-2020-0006.
Jaramillo, N.A.D., dos Santos Ferreira, J.W., Malko, J.A.C. and Casagrande, M.D.T. (2022). “Mechanical behavior of clayey soil reinforced with recycled tire rubber using chips and fibers”, Geotechnical and Geological Engineering, 40, 3365-3378, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-022-02101-0.
Jin, L., Yang, B. and Yuan, S. (2022). ” Investigation of evaporation and cracking of soil reinforced with natural and polypropylene fibers”, Journal of Natural Fibers, 19(14), 9547-9561, https://doi.org/10.1080/15440478.2021.1990172.
Kafodya, I. and Okonta, F. (2021). “Cyclic and post-cyclic shear behaviours of natural fibre reinforced soil”, International Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, 15(9), 1145-1154, https://doi.org/10.1080/19386362.2019.1611720.
Kannan, G. and Sujatha, E.R. (2023). “Effect of nano additive on mechanical properties of natural fiber reinforced soil”, Journal of Natural Fibers, 20(1), 2143980, https://doi.org/10.1080/15440478.2022.2143980.
Khajeh, A., Jamshidi Chenari, R. and Payan, M. (2020). “A simple review of cemented non-conventional materials: soil composites”, Geotechnical and Geological Engineering, 38, 1019-1040, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-019-01090-x.
Komurlu, E. (2023). “Use of microgrid fiber as a new reinforcement additive to improve compressive and tensile strength values of cemented rock fill mixes”, International Journal of Mining, Reclamation and Environment, 37(10), 760-768, https://doi.org/10.1080/17480930.2023.2266200.
Komurlu, E., Celik, A.G. and Karakaya, V. (2024). “An experimental study on uniaxial compressive strength values of silicate based resin added sand samples with different types of fiber reinforcements”, Yerbilimleri, 45(1), 79-92, https://doi.org/10.17824/yerbilimleri.1357103.
Komurlu, E., Kesimal, A. and Aksoy, C.O. (2017). “Use of polyamide-6 type engineering polymer as grouted rock bolt material”, International Journal of Geosynthetics and Ground Engineering, 3, 37, https://doi.org/10.1007/s40891-017-0114-6.
Kou, Hl., Liu, Jh., Guo, W., Hua, Sd. and Pan, Yt. (2021). “Effect of freeze-thaw cycles on strength and ductility and microstructure of cement-treated silt with polypropylene fiber”, Acta Geotechnica, 16, 3555-3572, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-021-01325-3.
Kumar, V., Priyadarshee, A., Chandra, S., Jindal, A. and Rana, D. (2023). “Behavioral study of raft reinforced with geogrid and geocell through experiments and neural models”, Civil Engineering Infrastructures Journal, 56(2), 321-332, https://doi.org/10.22059/ceij.2023.343951.1847.
Ghasemian Langroudi, S., Zad, A. and Rajabi, A.M. (2021). “Improvement of sandy soil to prevent hydraulic failure using BCF fibers and geotextiles”, Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 14, 1679, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-021-07986-4.
Lawer, A.K., Ampadu, S.I.K. and Owusu-Nimo, F. (2021). “The effect of randomly distributed natural fibers on some geotechnical characteristics of a lateritic soil”, SN Applied Sciences, 3, 642, https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-021-04634-0.
Leshchinsky, B., Evans, T.M. and Vesper, J. (2016). “Microgrid inclusions to increase the strength and stiffness of sand”, Geotextiles and Geomembranes, 44(2), 170-177, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geotexmem.2015.08.003.
Malicki, K., Górszczyk, J. and Dimitrovová, Z. (2021). “Recycled polyester geosynthetic influence on improvement of road and railway subgrade bearing capacity-laboratory investigations”, Materials, 14(23), 7264, https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14237264.
Meddah, A., Goufi, A.E. and Chaa. K. (2023). “Effect of randomly distributed polypropylene fibers on unconfined compressive strength, shear strength, and compressibility characteristics of Algerian high plasticity clay soil”, Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 16, 463, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-023-11575-y.
Mittal, A. and Shukla, S. (2019). “Effect of geosynthetic reinforcement on strength behaviour of weak subgrade soil”, Material Science Forum, 969, 225-230, https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.969.225.
Mittal, A. and Shukla, S. (2020). “Effect of geogrid reinforcement on strength, thickness and cost of low-volume rural roads”, Jordan Journal of Civil Engineering, 14(4), 587-598, https://jjce.just.edu.jo/Download.ashx?f=XF4E6wmFoS0HJXdaMVXRE38lwYVlR%2b1IrmQiPmK5g4M%3d.
Motamedi, H., Amiri, H.R., Fazaeli, H. and Mohammad Aliha, M.R. (2021). “Providing a prediction model for stress intensity factor of fiber- reinforced asphalt mixtures under pure mode III loading using the edge notched disc beam (ENDB)”, Civil Engineering Infrastructures Journal, 54(1), 43-58, https://doi.org/10.22059/ceij.2020.287507.1610.
Patel, S.K. and Singh, B. (2020). “A comparative study on shear strength and deformation behaviour of clayey and sandy soils reinforced with glass fibre”, Geotechnical and Geological Engineering, 38, 4831-4845, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-020-01330-5.
Shafei, B., Kazemian, M., Dopko, M. and Najimi, M. (2021). “State-of-the-art review of capabilities and limitations of polymer and glass fibers used for fiber-reinforced concrete”, Materials, 14(2), 409, https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14020409.
Safdar, M., Newson, T., Schmidt, C., Sato, K. and Fujikawa, T. (2022). “Consolidated drained behaviour of PVA fibre reinforced cemented Toyoura Sand”, International Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, 16(6), 700-715, https://doi.org/10.1080/19386362.2021.2014685.
Singh, K.L. and Jamatia, M. (2020). “Study on pavement soil subgrade properties with reinforced fibres”, Indian Geotechnical Journal, 50, 300-306, https://doi.org/10.1007/s40098-020-00425-3.
Singh, S.P. and Sharan, A. (2015). “Strength characteristics of fiber-reinforced compacted pond ash”, International Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, 9(2), 132-139, https://doi.org/10.1179/1939787913Y.0000000038.
Syed, M. and Guharay, A. (2020). “Effect of fiber reinforcement on mechanical behavior of alkali-activated binder-treated expansive soil: reliability-based approach”, International Journal of Geomechanics, 20(12), https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0001871.
Tiwari, N., Satyam, N. and Patva, J. (2020). “Engineering characteristics and performance of polypropylene fibre and silica fume treated expansive soil subgrade”, International Journal of Geosynthetics and Ground Engineering, 6, 18, https://doi.org/10.1007/s40891-020-00199-x.
Vieira, C.S. and Pereira, P.M. (2022). “Influence of the geosynthetic type and compaction conditions on the pullout behaviour of geosynthetics embedded in recycled construction and demolition materials”, Sustainability, 14(3), 1207, https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031207.
Wang, W., Zhang, C., Guo, J., Li, N., Li, Y., Zhou, H. and Liu, Y. (2019). “Investigation on the triaxial mechanical characteristics of cement-treated subgrade soil admixed with polypropylene fiber”, Applied Sciences, 9(21), 4557, https://doi.org/10.3390/app9214557.
Zafar, T., Ansari, M.A. and Husain, A. (2023). “Soil stabilization by reinforcing natural and synthetic fibers; A state of the art review”, Materials Today: Proceedings, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2023.03.503.
Zhang, J., Xu, W., Gao, P., Su, L., Kun, B., Yueyuan, L. and Bohan, Y. (2022). “Integrity and crack resistance of hybrid polypropylene fiber reinforced cemented soil”, Journal of Engineered Fibers and Fabrics, 17, https://doi.org/10.1177/15589250211068428.
Zhao, X., Liu, R., Qi, W. and Yang, Y. (2020). “Corrosion resistance of concrete reinforced by Zinc phosphate pretreated steel fiber in the presence of chloride ions”, Materials, 13(16), 3636, https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13163636.
Zheng, B., Zhang, D., Liu, W., Yang, Y. and Yang, H. (2019). “Use of basalt fiber-reinforced tailings for improving the stability of tailings dam”, Materials, 12(8), 1306, https://doi.org/10.3390/ma12081306.