Behavior of reinforced loess specimens under triaxial load

Effects of reinforcement on shear strength of a loessial (silty) soil arc studied. Unconsolidated undrained triaxial tests are performed on unreinforced and fabric reinforced soil specimens. Analyses of the test results showed that in general the shear strength of remolded loess specimens were improved substantially and increase in the shear strength was directly related to reinforcement spacing. The mechanism of soil-reinforcement interaction and several existing analytical models are described. A modified analytical model based on enhanced confining theory is developed. This model can be used in assessing the effects of the reinforcement on shear strength of triaxial specimens. Comparison of the theoretical and the test results shows good agreement between the two. The problem of non-uniform state of stress and strain within triaxial specimens is also considered, and a new simple model based on the beam-column analogy is developed. This model can be used in calculating the magnitude of normal stress at various points within cylindrical triaxial specimens. Each of the two proposed models is applicable to both unreinforced specimens loaded through non-lubricated end platens and fabric reinforced specimens --Abstract, page ii