Comportamento mecanico a longo prazo de um solo reforçado com fibras de coco

Abstract

Soil reinforcement has been presented as an effective alternative to enable several applications of these materials in view of their geotechnical characteristics, often limited in the natural state. The addition of fibers to the soil is a reinforcement technique that has a recognized effect of improving its mechanical properties. On the other hand, the use of natural fibers is still the subject of several studies, since they degrade over time. In view of this, the present work aims to evaluate the application of coconut fibers as a reinforcement of a sandy-silty soil extracted from the area of boot outside the Aterro Sanit´ario Metropolitano Centro de Salvador-Ba, after the natural aging process. The experimental program consisted of the treatment of coconut fibers by the processes of hornification, mercerization (treatment with NaOH) and the joint treatment (hornification + NaOH). The pure soil and the composites containing 1% of untreated and treated fibers were compacted in wooden boxes, which were exposed to the elements for a period of five months. At the end of this period, the specimens were carveds and triaxial tests CD were carried out at confining stresses of 50, 100 and 200 kPa and tensile strength tests by diametral compression. The results obtained were compared to analyzes without aging performed by Reis (2022). This comparison showed that the strength of the unreinforced soil and composites was subtly affected by natural aging and that even after this process, the fibers continued to contribute to the increase in shear strength. Such results showed that fibers treated with hornification have great potential for application in field situations.