Experimental Study on Physico-Mechanical Properties of Expansive Soil by Using Wheat Straw Fiber

Expansive soil is considered to be problematic for building construction works. It has the property of shrinkage and swelling. This property of expansive soil may cause problems for any structure. Purpose of the current experimental work was to find the swelling characteristics of an expansive soil treated with wheat straw fibre of lengths 6 mm in varying percentage of 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.15%, 0.20% and 0.25% by the dry mass of soil and compressed to supreme dry density (MDD) at optimum dampness content (OMC). A series of swell pressure tests were conducted by consolidometer method to determine the swell pressure of untreated regur soil and treated version of soil with wheat straw fibre to evaluate the effect of the addition of fibres on swell pressure of soil. Specimen heave were permitted and it was observed as it occurs with the passage of time. A series of consolidation pressures of 0.06, 0.12, 0.26, 0.47, 0.96, 1.96 and 3.77 kg/cm² were applied to bring the soil back to its original volume was determined, reported as swell pressure. OMC was found to rise and MDD declined due to increment in the percentage of fibre from 0.05% to 0.25%. A decreasing trend had been observed in the value of swell potential due to rise in percentage of wheat straw fibre of length 6 mm. A decrease was also observed in the value of swell pressure due to rise in percentage of wheat straw fibre of 6 mm size to the parent soil.