EFFECTS OF MICROGRID REINFORCEMENT ON SOIL STRENGTH

Abstract

In geotechnical engineering geogrid materials are in use to reinforce the soil recently. When these materials are used together with the soil, the strength parameters of the soil increases. The usage of geogrids is also very profitable to improve the soil because the material is very economical, easy to apply and durable. Engineers needs some design parameters about this materials when used withsoils for geotechnical designs. Therefore, experimental studies that will enable these parameters to be determined are of great importance. In this study, triaxial compression tests were carried out under four different cell pressures(50, 100, 150, 200 kPa) in labarotory by using microgrids, which showss similar functions with geogrid. Soil samples were prepared without microgrid, single layer microgrid, two layers microgrid and three layers microgrid and each of them were individually tested in triaxial compression. 2 mm aperture sized grid reinforcement configurated in 50*100 mm in silty soil triaxial specimen as in layer form of one to three. In the experimental study, it was determined that the strength values of the soil samples using geogrid were higher than those without geogrid. It was also found that the most efficient reinforcement was the use of two layers of microgrid. One of the important findings was taht with the use of microgrid reinforcement, the strength parameters of the soil could be increased by % 307.