Effect of Sisal Fiber and Polyurethane Admixture on the Strength and Mechanical Behavior of Sand

Autor: Jihong Wei, Fanxuan Kong, Jin Liu, Zhihao Chen, Debi Prasanna Kanungo, Xiaowei Lan, Canhui Jiang, Xiao Shi
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2018
Předmět:
Zdroj: Polymers, Vol 10, Iss 10, p 1121 (2018)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2073-4360
DOI: 10.3390/polym10101121
Popis: One major problem related to sandy soil is its low shear strength and cohesion in engineering. Although much effort has been made to strengthen sand mass with satisfactory performances, most undertakings lack environmental considerations. Thus, a combination of natural fiber and macromolecule polymer material attempts to achieve both strength and eco-friendliness. In the present investigation, sisal fiber (SF) and water-based polyurethane (PU) were used to reinforce sand. A series of unconfined compression tests were carried out on sand specimens at different percentages of fiber contents (0.2%, 0.4%, 0.6%, and 0.8% by weight of dry sand) and polymer contents (1%, 2%, 3%, and 4% by weight of dry sand). The results showed within our test range that the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) as well as post-peak strength of specimens increase with fiber and polymer contents. The inclusion of fiber and polymer significantly improve the ductility of specimens. The effect of dry densities on UCS were studied with three proportions. It is found that a high dry density led to an increase of UCS due to an effective contact area increase. The interactions were studied by observation through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images. The presence of water-based polyurethane has the potential to improve the interparticle cohesion of sand due to its unique network membrane structure. The fiber reinforcement benefit depends strongly on the friction, interlocking force, and bond strength at the interface.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals
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