Choice of fiber-reinforced base material to reduce internal erosion mass transport

This paper aims to investigate the reduction of the internal erosion by inclusion of fiber in the context of the base sandy soil next to the filter. Two samples overlain by a gravel filter, and with different grain sizes, (i.e., a poorly graded sand, and a poorly graded sand with clay) were used in this study. The specimens with various relative densities were exposed to one-dimensional water flow under 1 bar pressure, and erosion of the base soils without reinforcement along with fiber-reinforced soils through the coarse grain filter was measured. Polypropylene fiber content was adjusted to 0.50, 0.75, and 1.0% by weight of the base soils. The mass of the soil clogged in the filter plus the ones suspended in the water were quantified to determine mass of internal erosion for each specimen. The results indicated that internal erosion and permeability decrease with increase in fiber reinforcement and relative density. In addition, reinforcing sands without or with fines could change their erosion category from some-erosion to no-erosion and from excessive-erosion to some-erosion respectively.