Comparison on the Behaviour of Banana and S-Glass Fibre in Soil Stabilization

Abstract

This (In natural state), The expansive soils are unsuitable for direct engineering applications because of their shrink-swell characteristics. Using stabilizing techniques, an effort has been made to enhance the soil\'s qualities. Fibres are one of the most often employed for stabilizing soil in recent years due to their low cost and accessibility. Black cotton soil has been stabilized using treated banana and S- glass fibres as natural and synthetic fibres. The 4% NaOH solution is used to treat banana fibre, which results in a roughened surface that improves compatibility, tensile strength, bonding, etc. The soil is replaced with treated banana fibre from 0.5% to 2.5% at the interval of 0.5% and the same is repeated by replacing the soil with 1% to 3% of S-glass fibre at an interval of 0.5%. In this experimental investigation, there is marginal increase in dry density and strength at an optimum 1.5 % of treated banana fibre and strength for 2.5% optimum for strength of S-glass fibre were obtained when mixed with soil. The soil stabilized with treated banana fibre showed better results when compared with the s-glass fibre.

Introduction

I. INTRODUCTION

The process of soil stabilization modifies the physical properties of a soil before construction. Stabilized soils show better behaviour than non-stabilized soils during construction of different structures. A solid monolith is created by stabilized soil reduces permeability, enhances strength, and reduces the likelihood of shrinkage and expansion as well as the detrimental effects of freeze-thaw cycles. Soil stabilization is less expensive by improving the soil, hence reducing the need for more expensive ones. An extensive area of central India and a small area of southern India, including Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, South Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh, are infested with black mould. It is necessary to use soil stabilization techniques with an effort to enhance certain soil qualities. Stabilization can be accomplished in different ways, including chemical, physical, and polymer approaches. One of the components used to stabilize soil is fibre. Treated Banana fibre and S-glass fibre is been used as natural and synthetic fibre.

The phrase natural fibre is used to describe fibres that come from (or are produced by) animals and plants. The majority of natural fibres are renowned for being effective perspiration and other liquid absorbents. Vegetable fibre includes banana fibre and its main chemical constituent is cellulose. Vegetable fibres are consequently also referred to as cellulosic fibres. Because it comes from plants, vegetable fibre is sometimes referred to as plant fibre. Vegetable fibres based on cellulose arrangements include cotton, hemp, jute, flax, abaca, pia, ramie, flax, sisal, and bagasse, typically with lignin. Man-made fibres are known as synthetic fibres. They are frequently employed to stabilize the soil. The synthetic fibres nylon, polypropylene, polyethylene, and glass are examples. S-glass fibre is used because it is less expensive, locally available and has a high silica content, and has higher tensile strength than E-glass fibre. The optimum dosage of banana fibre varies from 0.5%-2.5% and S-glass fibre varies from 1%-3% to improve the compaction properties, consistency and compressibility properties of the soil. Fibre stabilized soil shows great potential in various engineering fields. The performance of S-glass fibre and banana fibre when mixed with soil is been compared and demonstrated in this project.

II. MATERIALS

A. SOIL

The soil sample used for this project work was collected from Industrial biotech block backside of Government college of technology, Coimbatore. A disturbed sample of dark grey in colour for about 15kg was collected from a test pit at a depth below 1.2 m below the natural ground level in order to avoid the inclusion of organic matter. The obtained soil was air dried, pulverized manually and soil passing through 4.75 mm IS sieve.

Table 1: Soil Properties of subgrade soil

B. Banana Fibre (Natural Fibre)

The The pseudo-stem of the banana plant (Musa sepientum) yields banana fibre, a ligno-cellulosic fibre with good mechanical qualities. It can reach heights of 3.0–12.2 metres with 8–12 thick leaves around it. The leaves can grow up to nine and a half feet tall (2.7 metres and 0.61 meter). Banana plants are available in Thailand, Southeast Asia, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Hawaii, and other Pacific islands. The three main components of banana fibre are cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. It is a thin fibre with extraordinary strength. It is biodegradable and has no negative effects on the environment.

III. EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM

A. Treatment Of Banana Fibre

The stabilized materials were combined with the soils in a variety of weight ratios that included banana fibre that had undergone chemical (NaOH) treatment. The dry mixing method is used for this study. Natural fibres progressively lose strength and other properties as they become part of the soil mass. With the proper treatment methods, such as alkali and other chemical treatments, the biodegradability issue with natural fibres can be resolved. The inquiry uses an alkali treatment. Cut to the proper length, the fibres are then submerged in 4% NaOH solution for 48 hours. Lastly, oven drying is used to dry the fibres completely unavoidable.

B. Standard Proctor Compaction Test

The optimum moisture content and maximum dry density was obtained by conducting Standard Proctor Compaction Test as per IS: 2720 (Part 7)- 1980. The relation between moisture content and dry density obtained from compaction test. The Proctor compaction test determines the highest unit load that can be compacted into a certain kind of soil using a regulated compact force and an appropriate water content. All engineered compact soil placements for embankments, pavements, and structural mills are based on the findings of this soil test, which is the most common laboratory soil test. Comparing the Proctor test findings to the measured densities of the compacted filled area allows one to determine the level of soil density. The Optimum Moisture Content and Maximum Dry Density for each sample is found with varying percentages of chemically treated banana fibre 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, 2%, 2.5% and S-Glass fibre 1%, 1.5%, 2%, 2.5%, 3%.

C. Unconfined Compression Test

The Unconfined Compression test was conducted as per IS 2720(Part 10):1991. The greatest axial compressive stress that a cohesive soil specimen can support with no confining force is known as unconfined compressive strength (UCS).

IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

A. Standard Proctor Compaction Test

The effect of soil sample with NaOH treated banana fibre and S-glass fibre in different proportions is calculated to found OMC and MDD.

Conclusion

In this study, two different types of fibres used to improve the strength characteristics of the soil. The following conclusions has been shown below 1) The UCS results demonstrated that the strength of banana fibre (BF) is higher than that of S-Glass fibre (SGF)used in reinforcing the soil. 2) This might be as a result of the natural fibers being alkali- treated, which increases their ductility and slows down the loss of strength and other properties when they are incorporated into the soil mass. 3) It was observed that, there is marginal increase in dry density of the treated soil samples and reduction compressibility at an optimum 1.5% of treated banana fibre and S-Glass fibre. 4) The maximum Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) was obtained for optimum 2.5 % of treated banana fibre and S-Glass fibre were obtained when mixed with soil. 5) The performance of banana fibre showed better results than S-Glass fibre.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2023 P. Shivaani, M. Rama. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.