Optimization of Consistency Limits and Plasticity Index of Fine-grained Soils Modified with Polypropylene Fibers and Additive Materials
Zaimoglu, Ahmet Sahin and Tan, Ozcan and Akbulut, Rahim Kagan
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Abstract
It is a well-known fact that water content has a significant effect on
the engineering properties of fine-grained soils. There is a close
relationship between consistency limits and geotechnical parameters of
fine-grained soils. This experimental study was performed to investigate
the effect of randomly distributed polypropylene fibers (PP) and some
additive materials {[}e.g., Borogypsum (BG), Fly Ash (FA) and Cement
(C)] on consistency limits and plasticity index of a fine-grained soil.
The Tagguchi method was applied to the experiments and standard L9
Orthogonal Array (OA) with four factors and three levels were chosen. A
series of consistency limits were conducted on each specimen. 0-20\% BG,
0-20\% FA, 0-0.25\% PP and 0-3\% of C by total dry weight of mixture
were used in the preparation of specimens. In the tests, distilled water
(DW), DW + 0.05\% Air-Entrainer (AE) and DW + 0.15\% AE were used as
mixture liquid. Experimental results showed that the most effective
material for decreasing the liquid limit and plasticity index of the
samples were fly ash, polypropylene fiber respectively. The plasticity
index decreased with increasing of AE. The values of plasticity index
for distilled water, distilled water + 0.05\% air-entrainer and
distilled water + 0.15\% air-entrainer in optimum conditions were 16\%,
14\% and 8\%, respectively.... Show more Show less