Direct shear tests of shear strength of soils reinforced by geomats and plant roots

Abstract

To investigate the shear strength of root–geomat reinforced soil (RMS), direct shear tests were conducted in laboratory on soil samples cultivated with three–dimensional geomats and Bermuda grass. The test results showed that the shear strength of RMS could be significantly improved by the combined reinforcement with grass roots and geomats, particularly at a low vertical stress level. The shear strength increment was increased exponentially with the total reinforcement content of roots and geomats. Concurrently, the soil cohesion was significantly increased, but the influence on the friction angle was generally negligible. With the increase in root or geomat content and decrease in water content, both the soil shear strength and cohesion were remarkably increased. Owing to the higher tensile strength of geomat than that of roots, the effect of geomat content on shear strength was larger than that of root content. Furthermore, the shear strength increment caused by root–geomat reinforcement was larger than the sum of the respective increments caused by root and geomat. Moreover, the soil shear strength and cohesion increments induced by the combined root–geomat mutual interlocking effect were increased exponentially with the total reinforcement content.