Effect of Palm Fiber Reinforcement on the Unconfined Compressive Performance of Cement-Treated Sand

Abstract

This research studies the unconfined compressive characteristics of cement-treated sand reinforced with palm fiber. Type 1 Ordinary Portland cements with 3, 5, and 7% dry sand weight were mixed with sand and different amounts of water to produce cement-treated sand. Palm fiber contents of 0.5, 1, and 2% volume and fiber lengths of 10, 20, and 40 mm were utilized. Three performance parameters were considered to assess the performance of the cemented sand reinforced with palm fiber: peak strength, strain ratio, and toughness. The results showed that incorporating palm fiber elements could improve the peak strength and ductility and reduce brittleness by increasing the fiber content and length. All palm-fiber-reinforced samples showed a softening behavior and changed the behavior of cement-treated sand from brittle to semi-ductile or ductile. The compressive strength of reinforced cemented sand increased when the fiber length was 40 mm, and the compressive strength was reduced as the fiber content exceeded 1.0%. Palm fiber was the most efficient at increasing the toughness of the cemented specimen because of its rigidity and bridging ability. The optimum fiber content and length for the cement–treated sand were 1.0% and 40 mm, respectively.