RELIABILITY AND PERFORMANCE OF FIBER-REINFORCED COHESIVE SOILS UNDER UCS EVALUATION

Abstract

Soil stabilization plays a vital role in enhancing the strength and durability of weak cohesive soils for geotechnical and infrastructural applications. Conventional stabilization methods often rely on chemical additives; however, such techniques can be environmentally unsustainable and costly. This study investigates the use of fiber reinforcement as a sustainable and effective method to improve the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of cohesive soils. Randomly distributed synthetic fibers were incorporated into soil samples at varying fiber contents and aspect ratios to analyze their influence on UCS performance. Laboratory experiments were conducted following standard testing procedures, and results were compared with untreated soils to assess strength gains and reliability. The findings reveal that fiber inclusion significantly improves ductility, postpeak strength retention, and overall UCS values, with optimal reinforcement observed at specific fiber dosages. Reliability analysis further confirmed the consistency of performance across different soil conditions, reducing variability in strength outcomes. The study demonstrates that fiber reinforcement provides an eco-friendly and efficient soil improvement technique, offering a reliable solution for enhancing the structural performance of cohesive soils in engineering applications.