LOAD SETTLEMENT BEHAVIOUR OF LOOSE GRANULAR SOIL FILL WITH RUBBER NODED BAMBOO GRID

Abstract

Soil Reinforcement is the widely accepted technique to improve the bearing capacity of challenging sites. There are various natural as well as synthetic material available as reinforcement for soil. Nowadays geosynthetic reinforced granular fill material is widely used in soft sub grade soil.   This manuscript deals with the experimental studies carried out to explore the possibility of using naturally available bamboo as a geogrid to increase the bearing capacity of the loose granular soil. Bamboo is a natural, ecofriendly and sustainable material with high tensile strength. Small scale load bearing tests were conducted to determine the bearing capacity of the loose fill, with bamboo grid, with rubber noded bamboo grid and the results were compared with that of synthetic geogrids.  The analysis of load settlement curves shows that the bamboo grid carries more load when placed at a depth of one fourth of the footing width. The rubber noded bamboo grid carries more load compared to other reinforcement as the rubber node at the intersection of bamboo strips act as shock absorber and there by protect the bamboo grid.