High-pressure isotropic compression tests on fiber-reinforced cemented sand

High-pressure isotropic compression tests were carried out on reconstituted sand samples that were reinforced with cement, randomly distributed fibers, or both, making comparisons with the unreinforced sand and conducting tests from a variety of initial specific volumes. The results indicated changes in the isotropic compression behavior of the sand due to the inclusion of fibers and/or cement. Cementitious bonds are sufficiently strong relative to the particles to allow the cemented samples to reach states outside the normal compression line (NCL) of the uncemented soil, but the effectiveness of cemented fiber-reinforced specimens is even larger due to the control of crack propagation in the cemented sand after the inclusion of fibers. Distinct NCLs were observed for the sand, fiber-reinforced sand, cemented sand, and fiber-reinforced cemented sand. Both fiber breakage and fiber extension were observed in fibers measured after testing indicating that fibers individually have worked under tension, even though in the macroscopic scale, isotropic compressive stresses were applied. Fiber reinforcement was found to reduce the particle breakage of both the uncemented and cemented sands. © 2010 ASCE.