Interface Shearing Behavior between Dry Sand and Metal Strip with Different Aperture Sizes

Abstract

Nowadays geo-synthetic reinforcement is widely used as a soil improvement technique to increase the bearing capacity and stability of soil foundations. The shearing behavior of the interface between soil and geo-synthetics is important for the analysis of reinforced soil foundation. In the past, many researchers published study about the interface tests for the geo-material reinforcement. In this project, a series of direct shear tests were carried out for the interface between dry sand and metal strip metal strip with different aperture sizes (i.e. 0.250, .422, 0.955 and 2.032 mm). Firstly, soil basic property tests, such as sieve analysis, relative density and specific gravity were conducted. Secondly, different normal stress were applied, i.e. -20, 40, 60, 80 and120 kPa. Initial density of the soil samples was carefully controlled and the initial vertical settlement due to applied normal stress was recorded. Thirdly, interface direct shear tests were carried out under different normal stresses for the metal strip with different aperture sizes. Stress-strain relationships, vertical displacement-horizontal displacement curves, and soil failure envelope are obtained and analyzed. Further discussion on the relationship between the soil shear strength, soil particle sizes and the metal strip aperture sizes were discussed and presented.