Unconfined compressive strength and ductility of fiber-reinforced cemented sand

A series of unconfined compression tests were performed on specimens of fiber-reinforced cemented sand (FRCS) to evaluate how fiber inclusion affects the measured strength and ductility characteristics of cemented sand. Lightly cemented sand with three different cement ratios (2, 4, and 6% by weight of soil) was mixed with four different fiber ratios (0, 0.3, 0.6, and 1% by weight of soil) and then compacted into a cylindrical specimen. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fiber, which adheres well to cement, was randomly distributed throughout the cemented sand. The test results indicate that the inclusion of PVA fiber has a significant effect on both the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and the axial strain at peak strength. The increase in the UCS was most apparent in the 2% cemented specimen wherein the UCS increased more than three times as the fiber ratio increased up to 1%. The ductile behavior of the FRCS is quantified by the deformability index, D, which is a ratio of the axial strain at peak strength of fiber-reinforced specimen to that of non-fiber-reinforced specimen. In the cases of 1% fiber ratio, the values of D were greater than four, regardless of cement ratios.