Effects of cyclic loading on sand overlaying clay model of unpaved roads reinforced with untreated/treated coir geotextiles

Abstract

The current study examined the application potential of the untreated/treated woven/non-woven coir geotextile on unpaved roads. For this, untreated/treated coir geotextiles were positioned at the interface under the unsoaked/soaked condition, and laboratory cyclic load tests were done in a test tank for the sand layer overlying the clay layer. The results of the study showed that models reinforced with untreated/treated woven coir geotextiles are better than the models with untreated/treated non-woven coir geotextiles. Furthermore, in comparison to the soaked condition, models reinforced with untreated/treated woven and non-woven coir geotextiles show better improvement in plastic deformation in the unsoaked condition. When placed at the interface of the sand layer overlying clay, untreated/treated woven/non-woven coir geotextiles can reduce plastic deformation in unpaved roads, especially in situations where the rut depth is high, as the improvement in plastic deformation was realised up to larger deformation.