Effect of reinforcement on load-carrying capacity of shallow foundation resting on silty clay

Abstract

Abstract In this paper, an experiment study investigated the effect of reinforced silty clay on the geotechnical behaviour of the small-scale square foundation models (15cm in length and 15cm in breadth with a thickness of 2.5 cm). A comparison of reinforced and unreinforced soil based on the bearing capacity of the soil and settlement was conducted. Moreover, the laboratory test also includes two cases for reinforced soil regarding the embedment depth of the reinforcement. In the first case, the reinforcement was embedded at a depth equal to u/B = 0.5; in the second case, the reinforcement was embedded at a depth equal to u/B = 1. The paper also presents the use of fibreglass mats as soil reinforcement. The foundation’s bearing capacity and settlement characteristics resting on reinforced soil were greater than those of the unreinforced soil, as observed from the results. It also found that the soil reinforced with a reinforcement layer at an embedment depth equal to u/B= 0.5 had better geotechnical behaviour in ultimate bearing capacity and settlement than the soil reinforced with a reinforcement layer at a depth equal to u/B=1 and unreinforced soil. The bearing capacity ratio (BCR) value is higher for reinforced soil at embedment depth equal to u/B=0.5 than that of embedment depth at u/B =1. The settlement reduction factor (SRF) factor is lesser for soil reinforced at a depth equal to u/B=0.5 than u/B=1. This proves that the influence of reinforcement decreases with depth.