Shear strength of randomly distributed moist fibre-reinforced sand

Abstract

The shear strength behaviour of randomly distributed dry fibre-reinforced sand has been extensively studied in recent decades. However, in foundation applications, sand will rarely be in a dry condition. Hence direct shear tests were conducted to investigate the effects of water content on the shear strength behaviour of sand reinforced with 0.25% randomly distributed glass fibres. The results of the tests suggest that the peak friction angle of the fibre-reinforced sand in moist condition is approximately 3° less than that in dry condition for a relative density greater than 50%. The fibre inclusions introduce an apparent cohesion intercept to the soil in the dry state, which remains almost unchanged by an increase in water content. The peak friction angle was expressed as a function of the relative density of sand for both reinforced and unreinforced cases. © 2010 Thomas Telford Ltd.