Natural Fibers: An Alternative for the Reinforcement of Expansive Soils

Abstract

The reinforcement of soils is the technique that geotechnical engineers currently use to improve the shear strength and bearing capacity parameters, especially when the land available for the execution of a project is not able to withstand the structural loads to which it is subjected. One of the techniques, used for this purpose since ancient times, is the incorporation of fibers into the soil matrix; however, great interest in its study has only begun in the last two, mainly because it constitutes a low-cost and environmentally friendly alternative. In this paper, a brief bibliographic review is presented on seven of the natural fibers that are currently used in order to improve the mechanical behavior of expansive clay soils (bamboo, jute, coco, palm, sugar cane bagasse, rise husk, and sawdust). It can be concluded that in many cases, the addition of certain amounts of natural fibers increases the parameters of resistance to the cutting of soils.