Use of Eco-Friendly Materials in the Stabilization of Expansive Soils

Volume change of expansive soils is a challenging issue, which affects various engineering structures all over the world. Consequently, we need environmentally-friendly and cost-effective soil stabilizers to address the challenges related to expansive soils. The utilization of natural fibers allows for the reduction in environmental impact since they are renewable and biodegradable raw materials. Moreover, the current article presents an experimental approach to study the effect of natural fibers on the mechanical behavior of expansive soils. Various experimental tests—such as Atterberg limits, standard compaction, direct shear, swelling potential, and swelling pressure—were conducted on control and treated soil samples using different percentages of fibers. The results of measurements of the physico-mechanical properties after reinforcement of the soil with 1%, 5%, and 10% of natural fibers indicate that the mechanical behavior of expansive soils is greatly influenced by the addition of natural fibers. To conclude, 86% reduction was observed in the swelling coefficient of treated soil. Future research can be done to check the durability of the current practice in detail.

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