Effect of Adding Nanoclay on the Mechanical Behaviour of Fine-grained Soil Reinforced with Polypropylene Fibers

In this study the performance of clay nano-particles on the soil reinforced with Polypropylene fibers (PP-fiber) has been investigated. Also a series of investigations concerning the effect of random orientation of fibers on the engineering behaviour of soil were conducted. Soil mixtures were modified with varying percentages of nanoclay and Fibers. Unconfined compressive strength (UCS), Compaction, Atterberg limits, and microstructural (scanning electron microscopy) tests were conducted. In order to understand the micromechanical behaviour of nanoclay in fiber reinforced soil, the microstructure and morphology of fracture surfaces of samples were studied using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). It was found that the addition of nanoclay significantly improves the performance of fiber reinforced soil in a unique way. This paper presents the understanding of nanoclay behaviour and its impact on the overall mechanical characteristic and laboratory performance of fiber reinforced soil.