Experimental Study on the Effect of Hemp Fiber on Mechanical Properties of Stabilized Clayey Soil

Abstract

Clayey soils have fine particles and contain clay minerals. Therefore, they are sensitive to water and cause stability problems. Nowadays, soil stabilization is an accepted method to resolve the problem of stability. In this study, hemp fiber was used as an additive material for stabilization of clayey soil. The use of fibers in the stabilization of clayey soils is becoming widespread, particularly with regard to applications involving the stabilization or reinforcement of shallow steep earth slopes and steep cover systems for landfills. In these applications, the use of natural fibers use is very important due to their environmentally friendly properties. Hemp legally planted in different countries is used in several industries, such as paper, textiles, clothing, biodegradable plastics, construction, body products, health food, and biofuel. In this study, hemp fiber was preferred because of its natural and environmentally friendly properties. To observe the effect of hemp fiber on the compressive strength of clayey soil material, the unconfined compression tests and shear box tests were carried out under laboratory conditions. The experimental results showed that hemp fiber is effective on the compressive strength of clayey soils. As a result, hemp fiber can be used successfully in clayey soil stabilization as an environmentally friendly material.

Keywords

• clayey soil
• expansive soil
• hemp fiber
• soil stabilization
• compressive strength