PRESENTATION OUTLINE

INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
METHODOLOGY
RESULTS AND DICUSSION
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

INTRODUCTION
o

Soil stabilization is one of the key

mechanisms in utilizing the soil sites
where the existing soils are lacking
the adequate strength parameters as
per the design specifications.
The use of cementitious materials
such as cement, lime, flash etc., are
the
common
methods
of
soil
treatment
for
improving
its
mechanical properties.
2

INTRODUCTION

Recent trends are very much focused

on fibre reinforcement, where use of
the artificial fibre is very common.
The use of natural fibres such as
wheat straw, rice husk is very little
addressed in the literature to be used
as reinforcing materials.

INTRODUCTION

Therefore, this study was focused to

investigate effectiveness of wheat
straw as soil stabilizing agent.
The analysis was carried out through
experimentation.
Mechanical behaviour of soil such as
its
consistency,
shrinkage,
consolidation,
density
and
compressive strength, etc. were
investigated.
4

BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND
It has been long recognized that natural
fibre is abundance as a raw material and
there has been little utilization of it as an
engineering material to be used as
reinforcing materials.
the production of wheat straw or rice
husk in Pakistan has a continuous rising
trend through decades. Pakistan wheat
production by year is shown in Figure.

BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND

World wheat production by year is

shown in Figure

MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF CLAY

Consistency
Shrinkage
Density
Consolidation
Compressive strength, etc.

EFFECT OF CLAY CONSISTENCY

The stability of adobe (mud) houses mainly

depends on clay consistency and compressive
strength

10

EFFECT OF SHRINKAGE

11

EFFECT OF CONSOLIDATION

Effect of consolidation and soil saturation is

obvious on buildings and subgrades
12

EFFECT OF DENSITY/STABILITY

The performance of highways significantly depends

on the stability/compressive strength of subgrades
13

METHODOLOGY
Materials

Experimental
Setups
Testing
Procedure

Clay
Wheat Straw
Consistency Limit Test
Shrinkage Limit Test
Compaction Test
Compressive strength Test
Consolidation Test

Detail is on next Slide

14

CLAY STOCK

Fine clay of breaking the lumps

Clay stock
15

WHEAT STRAW

Wheat straw before threshing

Threshed wheat straw

Threshing of wheat straw
16

COMPOSITE MATERIALS

Threshed wheat straw

Clay mixed with fibre and water at OMC

Clay mixed with fibre (dry mixing)

Clay mixed with fibre and water at WP

17

EXPERIMENTAL SETUPS

18

TESTING PROCEDURE

Unit weight
Average specific gravity
Volume of solids
Void ratio
Constant compaction efforts
Targeted unit weight
Targeted relative density

19

UNIT WEIGHT

100
=
100 + +

C
Mcement =
100+C+F

Mtotal

=
100 + +

20

AVERAGE SPECIFIC GRAVITY

100

=
+
+

100
100
100

21

VOLUME OF SOLIDS

=

22

VOID RATIO
2
=
4
=

23

TARGETED RELATIVE DENSITY

=

=
1+

=
24

DIFFICULTIES IN SAMPLE PREPARATION

25

DIFFICULTIES IN SAMPLE PREPARATION

Provision of collar

Controlled compaction efforts

26

SAMPLE PREPARATION

(a)
(b)
(a) Sample prepared mould without collar

(a)

(b)

(b)Sample prepared mould with collar.

27

SAMPLE TRIMMING

28

SAMPLE TRIMMING

29

SAMPLE TRIMMING

30

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

31

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Average Specific Gravity

% WS

Gsoil

Gws

Gav

2.6

0.36

2.6

2.6

0.36

2.548

2.6

0.36

2.496

2.6

0.36

2.444

2.6

0.36

2.392

10

2.6

0.36

2.34
32

EFFECT OF %AGE OF WS ON THE Gav

Avg. Sp. Gr. (Gav) (%)

3.00
2.80
2.60
2.40
2.20

2.00
0

10

Fibre Content (%)

33

CONSISTENCY LIMITS
Fibre
content
(%)

Liquid
Limit
(%)

Plastic
Limit
(%)

Plasticity
Index
(%)

21.8

13.87

7.93

0.5

29.3

18.52

10.78

36.1

22.98

13.12

41.1

24.4

16.7

42.79

25.87

16.92

45.1

27.81

17.29
34

CONSISTENCY CHARACTERISTICS

Consistency limits (%)

50
40
30
20

Liquit limit
Plastic Limit
Plasticity Index

10
0
0

4
6
Fibre content (%)

10

35

SHRINKAGE LIMIT
Fibre Content

Shrinkage Limit

(%)

(%)

24.15

0.1

23.715

0.4

21.21

0.6

20.135

0.8

24.03

1.0

25.69

36

SHRINKAGE TEST

Shrinkage limit (%)

30
25
20
15
0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

Fibre Content (%)

37

OPTIMUM MOISTURE CONTENT

Water
Content
(%)
10

Dry Unit
Weight
(kN/m3)
19.42

12

19.62

14

20.11

16

20.5

18

20.4

20

20.1
38

OPTIMUM MOISTURE CONTENT

Dry Density (kN/m3)

21
20.5
20
19.5

19
8

10

12

14

16

18

Moisture Content (%)

20

22
39

OPTIMUM FIBRE CONTENT

Fibre
Content
(%)

Dry Unit
Weight
(kN/m3)

18.65

17.57

15.87

15.04

12.98

10

12.40
40

Shrinkage Limit (%)

EFFECT OF WHEAT STRAW ON MDD

20
18
16
14
12
10
0

10

15

Fiber Content(%)
41

1-D CONSOLIDATION
Fiber
content
(%)

t90
(minutes)

Cv
(mm2/min)

11.088

20.30

18.5

14.301

29.16

12.63

11.90

14.24

29.37

15.96

10

23.42

17.72
42

Settlement (mm)

1-D CONSOLIDATION
6.0
5.5
5.0
4.5
4.0
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0

0% WS
2% WS
4% WS
6% WS
8% WS
10% WS

4
5
6
t90(min)

9
43

1-D CONSOLIDATION

Cv (mm2/min)

25
20
15
10
0

4
6
8
Fibre Content (%)

10

12

44

UNIAXIAL COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH

Sample prepared at OMC

Sample prepared at WP

45

UNIAXIAL COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH

1800

Effect of fibre content on UCS at OMC

1600
1400

UCS (kPa)

1200
1000

0% WS-OMC
2%WC-OMC
6%WS-OMC
8%WS-OMC

800

600
400
200

0
0

10
Axial strain (%)

15

20
46

UNIAXIAL COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH

1200

Effect of fibre content on UCS at WP

UCS (kPa)

1000
800

600
400

0% WS-WP
2%WS-WP
6%WS-WP
8%WS-WP

200
0
0

4
6
Axial strain (%)

10

47

EFFECT OF FIBRE CONTENT ON UCS AT

OMC AND WP
Fibre content

UCS (kPa)

UCS (kPa)

(%)

at (OMC)

at (WP)

920

802

1244

1042

1390

1300

1530

1128

1173

719

10

628

411
48

EFFECT OF FIBRE CONTENT ON UCS AT

OMC AND WP
1800
1600
1400

UCS (kPa)

1200
1000
800
600

400

OMC

WP

200
0
0

10

12

Fibre content (%)

49

SUMMARIZED RESULTS
Properties of clay
Type
of soil

CL

LL
%

PL
%

PI
%

SL
%

Gs

21.8 13.87 7.93 24.15 2.60

OMC OFC
%
%
16

MDD
(kN/m3)
20.5

UCS
Cv
(kPa) (mm2/min)
920

20.3

50

SUMMARIZED RESULTS
Properties of Wheat straw

Type of
fibre
Wheat
straw

Average Average
diameter Length

3.1 mm

18.4
mm

Gs

0.34-0.38

WAR

300% (24 h)

Tensile
force

Tensile
strength

7.805 kg

10.133
MPa
(1470 psi)

(76.48 N)

51

SUMMARIZED RESULTS
Type
of
soil
CL
CL+
WS

LL
%

PL
%

PI
%

SL
%

Gs

21.8
45.1
(6%
WS)

13.87
27.81
(6%
WS)

7.93
17.29
(6%
WS)

24.15
20.14
(0.6%
WS)

2.60
2.44
(6%
WS)

OMC OFC
%
%
16
---

0
---

MDD
(kN/m3)
20.5
15.04
(6%
WS)

UCS
(kPa)
OMC
920
1530
(6%
WS)

UCS
(kPa)
WP
802
1300
(4%
WS)

Cv
(mm2/min)
20.3
12.63
(4% WS)

CL= low plasticity clay, LL = liquid limit, PL= plastic limit, PI= plasticity
index, SL= shrinkage limit, Gs= Specific gravity, OMC= optimum moisture
content, OFC =optimum fibre content, UCS=Uniaxial compressive strength,
MSL = maximum shrinkage limit, Cv = coefficient of consolidation.
52

CONCLUSIONS
1.

The addition of wheat straw into the clay as

reinforcement there were little or no improvement
noticed in the maximum dry unit weight of clay.
Gradual increase in the wheat straw content resulted to
gradually decrease the dry unit weight of clay.

2.

Two series of samples were prepared one series at

optimum moisture content (16% approx. :) and one
series of samples were prepared in a workable paste
form (40% moisture content).

53

CONCLUSIONS
3.

Addition of wheat straw resulted to a noticeable

improvement in the uniaxial compressive strength of
clay for both at optimum moisture content and at
workable paste.

4.

However, the uniaxial compressive strength of

samples prepared at optimum moisture content were
thoroughly higher than those of the samples prepared
at workable paste.

54

CONCLUSIONS
5.

6.

7.

For the specimens prepared at optimum moisture

content, the maximum uniaxial compressive strength
was achieved at an optimum fibre content of 6%,
For the specimens prepared at workable paste (40%
moisture
content),
the
maximum uniaxial
compressive strength was achieved at an optimum
fibre content of 4%.
The experimental results suggests that the addition of
wheat straw initially decrease the shrinkage to an
optimum content and thereafter there is increase in
the shrinkage due to the addition of further wheat
straw content.
55

CONCLUSIONS
8.

9.

The optimum wheat straw content at which

maximum decrease in the shrinkage limit noticed was
0.6%.
Generally, using wheat straw as a soil stabilizing
agent improvement in the mechanical properties of
the soil was noticed. However, further investigations
are essential to come to a conclusive end for the
advantages and commercial viability of using wheat
straw as soil stabilizing agent.

56

RECOMMENDATIONS
1.

For the constant compaction efforts a typical design is

shown in Figure, which may be adopted for the
preparation of the samples for unconfined
compression and triaxial testing for samples of sizes
34 mm, 50 mm and 70 mm diameter. The tamping rod
may be of 16 mm diameter, and of 450 mm (18 in)
height.

57

RECOMMENDATIONS

Compaction rammer for compacting 50 mm diameter samples

58

RECOMMENDATIONS
2.

For the preparation of samples with consistent

density throughout its height, the triaxial split mould
may be provided with collar. A typical mould with
collar is shown in Figure. The mould is provided
with the following specifications.
Height of
mould

100 mm

Diameter of mould
Internal

External

50 mm

67.5 mm

Height of
collar

50 mm

Diameter of collar
Internal

External

50 mm

67.5 mm

59

RECOMMENDATIONS

proposed triaxial spilt mould provided with collar

60

RECOMMENDATIONS
3.

As there is high percentage of water absorption ratio

of wheat straw and secondly the addition of wheat
straw is going to reduce the maximum dry density
(while keeping the optimum moisture content of clay
unchanged that is 16%); therefore, the effect of wheat
straw on the optimum moisture content of soil must
be checked.

Fibre
content

10

16

--

--

--

--

--

(%)
OMC

(%)

61

RECOMMENDATIONS
4.

As in present studies thresher shredded length of the

wheat straw was used. The average length of
threshed wheat straw was measured to be 18.4 mm;
however, it is presumed that the effect of fibre length
on the mechanical properties may be varying.
Therefore, the effect of fibre (wheat straw) length on
the mechanical properties need to be investigated.
Moreover, the direction of the placement of wheat
straw should also be in consideration.
Fibre
length
(mm)

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50
62

RECOMMENDATIONS
5.

Hydraulic conductivity of clay may be checked as a

function of percentage of wheat straw added into it,
at loose, medium dense and dense state of soil.
Fibre content (%)
Loose state

Hydraulic

(Dr = 0-33%)

conductivity,

Medium Dense state

k (cm/sec)

(Dr = 33%-66%)
Dense state
(Dr = 66%-100%)

10

--

--

--

--

--

--

--

--

--

--

--

--

--

--

--

--

--

-63

RECOMMENDATIONS
6.

The effect of addition of wheat straw on the

compressibility of clay in saturated and semi saturated
state must be investigated. It is proposed that a series
of CBR tests should be conducted on the fibre
reinforced clay.
Fibre content (%)
CBR value

10

Un-soaked CBR

--

--

--

--

--

--

Soaked CBR

--

--

--

--

--

--

64

RECOMMENDATIONS
7.

In order to check the effect of decomposition of

wheat straw on the stability of soil, soaked clay
samples for varying soaking period ranging from
days to several months may be tested.

8.

The rate of decomposition of wheat straw and factors

which can render the decomposition of wheat straw
may be studied. For aforementioned purposes:
(i) how many grams of wheat straw to be added into
how much volume of water must be decided?
(ii) How long the samples be placed for soaking
(iii) how much amount of clay is to be added into the
65
mixture.