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Soil reinforcement with recycled carpet wastes
Hossein Ghiassian1, Gholamreza Poorebrahim, Donald H Gray
1Department of Civil Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Narmak, Tehran, Iran. hossghia@iust.ac.ir
Summary
Recycled carpet fibers significantly enhance the shear strength of sandy soils, transforming waste into a valuable soil reinforcement material. This research demonstrates the effectiveness of fibrous inclusions in improving soil characteristics.
Area of Science:
- Geotechnical Engineering
- Materials Science
- Environmental Engineering
Background:
- Soil reinforcement utilizes composite materials with high-tensile strength fibers in a soil matrix.
- Shear stresses in soil activate fiber tensile resistance, enhancing overall soil strength.
- Synthetic fibrous materials offer potential for improving soil strength characteristics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of synthetic fibrous materials on the strength of fine sandy soil.
- To explore the conversion of fibrous carpet waste into a value-added soil reinforcement product.
- To analyze the influence of fiber aspect ratio and weight percentage on soil strength.
Main Methods:
- Drained triaxial tests were performed on compacted soil specimens.
- Specimens were prepared in cylindrical molds at optimum water content.
- Key variables included fibrous strip aspect ratio and weight percentage.
Main Results:
- Fibrous inclusions derived from carpet waste demonstrably improve the shear strength of silty sands.
- A predictive model accurately simulates the effects of fiber content, aspect ratio, and confining pressure.
- The study confirms the efficacy of carpet waste as a soil reinforcement agent.
Conclusions:
- Fibrous carpet waste can be effectively repurposed for soil reinforcement applications.
- The shear strength of sandy soils is significantly enhanced by the inclusion of these fibers.
- The developed model provides a reliable tool for predicting the performance of fiber-reinforced soil.