Influence of Polypropylene Derivatives on Soil Mechanical Properties

Abstract

The implementation of natural and artificial fibers as a stabilization technique for construction materials has developed new trends in the last decade and has generated functionality. This research evaluates the implementation of fibers derived from polypropylene as element of soil reinforcement. These fibers have the advantage that they do not have biodegradation or oxidation processes, which makes it a cost-effective and environmentally friendly option. The fibers are used to reinforce samples of silty soil derived from a slope deposit. Specifically, the behavior of the soil under unconfined compressive stresses and penetration stresses in the CBR test is evaluated. Polypropylene fibers derived from industrial processes were used, bringing them to the same size and using the same proportion of these in the soil samples, different percentages of fiber with respect to soil weight were evaluated to identify which was optimal in the experiment. Additionally, the process of formation of the samples was controlled to maintain close values of maximum dry density and optimum moisture content. A comparison and analysis that quantifies the contribution of these fibers is proposed. The results obtained are supported by the laboratory tests performed. These results show that the reinforced material has higher unconfined compressive strength, higher ductility, and higher resistance to penetration. It is proposed to evaluate the effect of the fiber arrangement in future research.