sustainable soil stabilization using coir fiber KOBM and geotextile

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PEB 802 Capstone Design Project
Assignment 1
Sustainable Soil Stabilization of Red Clay Using Coir Fiber,
KOBM and Geotextile Material
Submitted By
Vishwaleen Vishaal Ram - 2016133741
Under Supervision of
Supervisor(s) Mr. Sateesh Kumar Pisini
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of
Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)
(Bachelor of Civil engineering),
to
SCHOOL OF BUILDING AND CIVIL ENGINEERING,
FIJI NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, FIJI ISLAND
August 13, 2020

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1. Detailed mathematical modeling to the solution of a given
complex engineering problems in the Capstone Design Project.
Objectives
 Assessment of subgrade materials; KOBM, Steel slay
 Investigation of strength of unreinforced red clay soil.
 Strength enhancement of red clay soil with KOBM, steel slag stabilizing material.
 Strength enhancement of unreinforced red clay soil reinforced with Geotextiles.
 Observation of loading resistance for unreinforced red clay soils with and without
inclusion of 2% & 4% coconut fiber.
 Strength behavior of red clay soil with KOBM Steel Slag stabilized ratio at 5% and
10%.
To study the following properties of soil by mixing it with different percentage of coir fiber
A. The Optimum moisture contents (OMC)
B. The Maximum dry density
C. California bearing ratio
D. Unconfined compressive strength
To suggest an optimal content of coir fiber toward mixed in by soil for the strength
improvement.
The red clay was mixed with different content of coir fiber which were 1% 2% 3% and 4% in
order to prepare various samples. In directive to investigate the various geotechnical
characteristics of soil fiber, the various tests conducted are listed below:
 Atterberg’s limit test
 Consistency limits
 Specific gravity
 The Compaction tests
 The Unconfined compression tests
 The California bearing ratio test

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Conventional design
Atterberg limit test
The Plastic limit test
PI= LL – PL
Calculation and expression of results
The Percentage of linear shrinkage =
Wherever, LD is the extent of the oven-dry sample (in-mm)
California bearing ratio test
Difference among optimum moisture content also moisture content.
Dry density of the sample
Laboratory density ratio
Laboratory moisture ratio
Calculation of swell

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weight of dry soil in specimen
Moisture content of the specimen after soaking
Volume of specimen after soaking
Dry density of specimen after soaking
Mass of dry materials in the test share
Mass of mixing water
Calculation of the weight of varied and cured material essential

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Literature Review
Author Year Findings
Ishfaq Ahmad Mir
and ER Abhishek
Baw
(Mir & Bawa, 2018)
2018  The tests directed on the clayey soil be situated
Liquid Limit, Plastic Limit, Standard Proctor Test
and California Bearing Ratio (CBR). The
percentages of the coconut fiber used in the soil are
0%, 0.3, 0.5%, 0.8% and 1.1%.
 The various parameters which were investigated in
this research are dry density, optimum moisture
content
Shukla Devdatt.et al
(Devdatt et al.,
2015)
2015  Trendy this study, the stabilizing result of Coconut
Coir Fiber (Natural Fiber) arranged soil
characteristics has remained Experimental studied’
 Tests outcome specifies that mutually unoaked and
soaked CBR significance of soil rises with the rise in
Coconut coir fiber content. Soaked CBR value rises
since 3.9 % to 8.6 % also un-soaked CBR value rises
from 8.1 % to 13.2 % of soil varied with 1%
Coconut coir fiber
Deepjyoti Das et al 2016  The key goal of this research effort be situated to
examine the variance in shear strength limits of
sandy soils by the usage of brown coconut fiber as
reinforcing material, at a permanent size of 15 mm,
by means of the direct shear test.
Ishfaq Ahmad et al 2018  Through make known to the coconut coir fibers in
the soil the expansion of the frictional forces rises
among the soil particles then the reinforcement
fibers.
Amu et al
(Amu et al., 2011)
2011  This paper studied the geotechnical characteristics of
lateritic soils improved with coconut shell also husk
ash by a view to procurement a economy and
operative road additive.

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Manikandan, A T at.
el
(Manikandan et al.,
2017)
2017 Stabilization of soil is important for applying prevailing
ground for structure determinations.
Fattah et al
(Fattah et al., 2015)
2015 The adding of lime changes the soil near a firm soil mass,
the particles of which stay powerfully destined by
pozzolanic cementitious compounds shaped by responses
through soil silica in addition lime in the existence of water.
Danso, Humphrey
Manu, Dorothy
(Danso & Manu,
2020)
2020 This research explores the effect of coconut fibers in
addition lime on the characteristics of soil-cement mortar.
Fibers of 0.2–0.8 percent, lime of 0–15 percent, cement of 5
percent through mass of soil.
Ikeagwuani, et. al
(Ikeagwuani &
Nwonu, 2019)
2019 In an effort to create them more possible for building
determinations, many materials then methods partake been
cast-off to alleviate the soil.

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2. Complete analysis of objectives and their requirements that is
required for the PEB 802 Capstone design project II through
the open literature
The native optimum design is attained by relating a few alternate results formed by means of a
prior problem knowledge. In this method the different percentage of fiber is compared when
mixed in the soil the solution is investigated by doing lab tests. Then an estimation of the
fundamental objective of to each solution is compared for the cost, profit, environmental
benefits, and many more. It is difficult to use one type of process in the entire engineering
design problems. The design limits vary with different fiber percentage and addition of KOB
and geotextile materials. There will be different fiber percentage used in different techniques
but the experiment conducted on it would be same. The experiment will be done twice to
ensure a accurate result. The purpose of the lab tests is to create a best combination of fiber
percentage with soil to get an optimal strength that can be used for commercial production.
After the experiments a C++ project will be developed to show the strength of the soil when
ever the percentage fiber is entered. This C++ project will be the shortcut and summaries the
experimental calculations and the mathematical equations in just one single source file project.
Further more the results from the program will be analyzed in the FLAC 3D software to get a
better understanding of the project.
Design variables:
the design of a reinforcing the soil begins with classifying the fundamental design variables
such as the fiber, KOB and geotextile contents, which are chiefly diverse through the
reinforcement procedure. A project problem typically includes many strategy limits; of which
some are extremely sensitive to the proper working of the design. This parameter can be called
fiber contents variables. The outcome of the reinforcing process may indicate whether to
comprise extra fiber and KOB or not.
Constraints:
The constraint represents some of the functional relationship amongst the strategy and other
limits substantial convinced physical phenomena and certain resource limitations. The coir
fiber used in soil may degrade and thus require to be treated with chemicals prior to use. The
achievement of red clay required lot of effort and time thus required special machine to dig out
the clay and bring to the lab for analysis.

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3. Complete Analysis on performed necessary processes to meet
stated PEB 802 Capstone Design project objectives.
The soil reinforcement must placate the necessities as quantified strategy soil standard of the
area of construction to be performed. The propensity of utmost of the conventional design
methods is to attain design necessities first and approximation economics afterwards. The
existing literature has recommended various methods to increase the soil strength using cheaper
techniques by reducing the fiber content to 0.5 percent. The use of coir fibers may reduce the
cost of reinforcing the soil and also if the project is successful will lead to the commercial
production that can be an alternative in the construction industry, this will replace expensive
soil reinforcing techniques.
Experimental Investigation
Basic Experiment
WET & DRY
SIEVING LIQUID LIMIT
PLASTIC
LIMIT
COMPACTION
TEST
CBR TEST

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Tests What needs to be done and why Number of Trials
Dry Sieving
 Soil Classification
 % Fines
 Draw Curves
 FindCc & Cu
2
Liquid Limit
 Classificationof fine grained
Soil
 Predictionof Consolidation
PropertiesforAllowable
BearingCapacitycalculation
2
Plastic Limit
 FindPlasticityIndex,Ix of soil
2
Compaction
 Determine optimalMoisture
Content
 MaximumDry Density
2
1. Sample Collection from site 2. Wet Sieving Test

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3.Atterburg Limit Test (Plastic Limit Test and Liquid Limit Test)
4. Compaction Test

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CBR Test
Experimental Procedure
AS 1289.6.1.1:2014 is to be used to carry out the CBR test.
Calculation
Laboratory Moisture Ratio
Where
LDR = laboratory density ratio, as a percentage
Ρd = dry density of the specimen, in grams per cubic centimeter
MDD = maximum dry density of the soil, in grams per cubic centimeter

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5. Conclusions/Recommendation.
The main purpose of the project was to observe the loading resistance for the red clay soil by
doing California bearing ratio testing in the laboratory. Furthermore, CBR testing for red clay
would be tested with and without geotextile. The testing result will also be observed after
adding 2% and 4% of coir fiber and lastly red clay soil will be tested using KOBM steel slag
using 5% and 10%. After doing the tests the strength behavior of red clay soil will be analyzed
and discussed. The study deals with the design of minimum cost of soil reinforcement when
fiber mixed with soil. The values of California bearing ratio and unconfined compressive
strength were indeed enhanced due to the mixing of coir fiber. The optimum percentage of coir
fiber to be used was found to be 1% as the values were maximum at this point. Thus, it would
be cost effective and ecofriendly. The further studies can be done to add additives like KOB or
by coating the fiber to increase the life.
The remaining work of the research work is using FLAC 3D software and C++ program to
optimize the project. It will require different procedures to follow to come up with the result.
1. Develop numerical calculation in C++ and excel.
2. Design and model in FLAC 3D and sketch up software.
3. Display the results using graphs and tables.

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6. References.
Amu, O. O., Owokade, O. S., & Shitan, O. I. (2011). Potentials of coconut shell and husk ash
on the geotechnical properties of lateritic soil for road works. International Journal of
Engineering and Technology, 3(2), 87–94.
Danso, H., & Manu, D. (2020). Influence of coconut fibres and lime on the properties of soil-
cement mortar. Case Studies in Construction Materials, 12, e00316.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscm.2019.e00316
Devdatt, S., K, R. S. S. A., & Jha, A. K. (2015). 3 IX September 2015. September.
Fattah, M. Y., Al-Saidi, À. A., & Jaber, M. M. (2015). Characteristics of clays stabilized with
lime-silica fume mix. Italian Journal of Geosciences, 134(1), 104–113.
https://doi.org/10.3301/IJG.2014.36
Ikeagwuani, C. C., & Nwonu, D. C. (2019). Emerging trends in expansive soil stabilisation: A
review. Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, 11(2), 423–440.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrmge.2018.08.013
Manikandan, A. T., Ibrahim, Y., Thiyaneswaran, M. P., Dheebikhaa, B., & Raja, K. (2017). a
Study on Effect of Bottom Ash and Coconut Shell Powder on the Properties of Clay Soil a
Study on Effect of Bottom Ash and Coconut Shell Powder. International Research
Journal of Engineering and Technology(IRJET), 4(2), 550–553.
https://irjet.net/archives/V4/i2/IRJET-V4I2104.pdf
Mir, I. A., & Bawa, A. (2018). Utilization of waste coconut coir fiber in soil reinforcement.
International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology, 9(9), 774–781.

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7. Appendices.

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