Effect of Moisture Content On Strength Of Reinforced Clay Soil Using Recycled Materials Polypropylene

This research focuses on the effect of moisture content on the strength of reinforced clay soil using recycled materials Polypropylene. It aims to determine the use of Polypropylene in soil stabilization and recommend viable solutions for implementing it.

Project Management: Effect of Moisture Content On
Strength Of Reinforced Clay Soil Using Recycled Materials
Polypropylene

Table of Contents
1. Title:.............................................................................................................................................3
2. Abstract:.......................................................................................................................................3
3. Project objectives:........................................................................................................................3
4. Introduction and background:......................................................................................................3
5. Description:..................................................................................................................................4
6. Research problem and scope.......................................................................................................5
7. Resource required:.......................................................................................................................5
8. Stakeholder analysis:...................................................................................................................5
9. Constraints:..................................................................................................................................6
10. Conclusion:................................................................................................................................7
11. References:................................................................................................................................9

1. Title:
Effect of moisture content on strength of reinforced clay soil using recycled materials
Polypropylene
2. Abstract:
Earlier studies have focused that the strength of soil is highly dependent on density and its
moisture content. It has been reported that the compressive strength of Fabre –reinforced
cohesive soil has been checked through unconfirmed compressive tests, its ductility, strength and
flexural toughness of soil increase with the randomly distributed fibers. In many places due to
huge tendency of the industrialization soil become weak and mixture of the wastages in the soil
weakens the stability. This research will enable the government to find a economical way to
bring back the soil stability by using the Polypropylene.
3. Project objectives:
The main objectives of the project are:
 To produce the concept of the soil stabilization
 To determine the use of the Polypropylene in soil stabilization
 To identify the challenges in using Polypropylene in soil stabilization
 To recommend viable solution for implementing the Polypropylene in soil stabilization.
4. Introduction and background:
Soil stabilization techniques has become more and more important due to expansion of various
land reforms and need for more and more buildings and structures with the growing population.
Various properties of the soil is changed by the application of various methods of soil
stabilization. In the earlier times people relied heavily on the existing soil quality for buildings
and construction work. As the population increased the need to recover more land has increased.
Low quality lands are also being stabilized and used for construction work. People of earth need

place to live (Correia, Oliveira and Custódio, 2015). Various people are going to be benefitted
from such measures of soil stabilization. Stabilizing expansive soil moisture is an important part
of it. As the percentage of wastes and degrading materials increase, the soil becomes coarser.
This leads to a change in the texture of the soil of the area. The quality of the soil also degrades.
Hence, during construction it poses a huge risk of loss of life and property. In such cases soil
stabilization comes to the rescue. Altering the mechanical properties of the soil through soil
stabilization is an effective way. The strength of the soil varies greatly with density and moisture
content of the soil (Oliveira, Correia and Cajada, 2018). In such cases, fiber reinforced soil
stabilization makes it feasible. Thus it helps in risk reduction and also enables building in terrains
of extreme difficulty and loose soil like in the hilly areas and regions of floods etc.
5. Description:
Soil stabilization has been considered as an effective and reliable technique in order to alter
important properties of soli. There are several reinforcement methods that are available for
stabilizing expansive soil moisture control is important part of it. According to the Correia et al.
(2015), the gradation of clay soil becomes coarser as the percentage of waste material increases
in quantity. The change in gradation and texture of clayey soil increase as the inclusion of waste
material leads to change. It might lead to modification of mechanical properties of the soil.
Earlier studies have focused that the strength of soil is highly dependent on density and its
moisture content. It has been reported that the compressive strength of Fabre –reinforced
cohesive soil has been checked through unconfirmed compressive tests, its ductility, strength and
flexural toughness of soil increase with the randomly distributed fibers. The stress strain
response of the fiber is dependent on the product used.
The increase in compressive strength for this fibre-reinforced specimen with the help of
sacrificial interaction of soil and fiber increased. As a result the fibre gets stretched and the
tensile strength gets loaded as it is mobilized within the time of Axial loading. The moisture
content will be varied with respect to the specimens. It can be noted that at the lower moisture
content the values of sheer content develops a number of shear plane and wide cracks are
noticed. This behavior implies progressive transformative in the specimen and it is nature to
ductile. It can also be noted that failure strength increase with the increase in moisture content

Most of the researchers have specified the amount of water to be present by volume of the
concrete that helps in defining the quality of the polypropylene fibers. Most suggested proportion
is 0.1% of water by volume of concrete (Mohod, 2015).
6. Research problem and scope
The cohesiveness of the soil is checked through compressive tests. The ductility, flexural
toughness and strength of the used fiber is tested by using various percentages of the fibers and
the stress and strain response is recorded. Requisite fiber is then used for actual soil stabilization.
The moisture content of the soil is also varied to test the durability of the fibers in different
percentages of moisture (Moghal et al., 2018). Under stress, the fiber gets stretched and
mobilized and the tensile strength of the fibers used can be calculated. Lower moisture content
tends to increase the shear content and deep cracks are notable in the fibers. The scope of this
project enables us to determine the constructive nature of the soil and whether the soil is fit for it.
If unfit, soil stabilization helps us in stabilizing the soil through fiber stabilization techniques.
The percentage of fiber differs from soil to soil. The project will also include the testing of the
samples to find out the percentage of the water proportions in the same. These tests
include direct shear, triaxial, 3D test undrained uncomplicated tests.
7. Resource required:
Tools: for completing this research MS word, MS excel and Survey Monkey will be used to
provide the exact analysis and graphical presentation.
Method: For this research to get the exact information and data collection primary data
collection process will be selected and for this survey needs to be conducted with at least 30
respondents. Beside this various books and journals are also required to prepare the literature
review and getting the knowledge about it.
Techniques: Primary data collection and quantitative analysis techniques will be used to analyze
the data, beside this positivism philosophy and deductive approaches will also be used to do the
research in proper way (Mackey and Gass, 2015).

8. Stakeholder analysis:
Researcher: The main stakeholder of the project is the researcher who is conducting the project.
This project will benefit the researcher by providing the information regarding the soil
stabilization process and also the use of the Polypropylene in protecting the soil from decay.
Customers: Customers especially who are working with soil or do soil related work will get the
benefit of protecting soil from the erosion and also Polypropylene is economically suitable for
use (Andriof and Waddock, 2017).
Government: Government can also get huge facilities of this process because in many places
due to huge tendency of the industrialization soil become weak and mixture of the wastages in
the soil weakens the stability. This research will enable the government to find an economical
way to bring back the soil stability by using the Polypropylene.
Polypropylene producing company: this will help to I crease their sales and also allows further
research to make it more stable in soil protection.
9. Constraints:
Time: For completing the research project minimum 20 weeks is required and the detail
description of the weeks are as follows:
Activities Wk
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Identification and
choosing the topic
Collection of the
secondary data
Literature review
preparation
Collection of the

primary data
Analysis of the
data and
interpretation of
the data
Draft project
preparation
Final submission
Feedback
collection
Discussion with
managers
Questionnaire
Collecting data
Analyze data
Final submission
Scope: The main scope of this project is to provide the proper information and way to protect the
soil from the erosion by using the Polypropylene. In addition this project will help the farmers to
maintain good soil and also to the construction company to make the soil more stable.
Budget:
Element Cost
Literature review preparation $10
Accessing websites $20
Conducting survey $45
Using software and tools $15
Others $10
Total $100

10. Conclusion:
The project has enlightened me regarding the various techniques used in the soil stabilization
techniques. It has enabled me to identify the various techniques required for the various kinds of
soil. The stabilization of soil and the technique used in soil stabilization varies according to the
soil texture, moisture and integrity. The soil integrity is greatly influenced by the soil
stabilization techniques. The use of fibers for soil stabilization is a feasible method as it gives us
a methodical approach for soil stabilization. Various percentage of fibres are used while testing
which gives us real time data of the type of soil and the kind of fibres that needs to be used for
soil stabilization.

11. References:
Andriof, J. and Waddock, S., 2017. Unfolding stakeholder engagement. In Unfolding stakeholder
thinking (pp. 19-42). Routledge.
Correia, A.A., Oliveira, P.J.V. and Custódio, D.G., 2015. Effect of polypropylene fibres on the
compressive and tensile strength of a soft soil, artificially stabilised with binders. Geotextiles and
Geomembranes, 43(2), pp.97-106.
Mackey, A. and Gass, S.M., 2015. Second language research: Methodology and design.
Routledge.
Moghal, A.A.B., Chittoori, B.C., Basha, B.M. and Al-Mahbashi, A.M., 2018. Effect of
polypropylene fibre reinforcement on the consolidation, swell and shrinkage behaviour of lime-
blended expansive soil. International Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, 12(5), pp.462-471.
Mohod, M.V., 2015. Performance of polypropylene fibre reinforced concrete. IOSR Journal of
Mechanical and Civil Engineering, 12(1), pp.28-36.
Oliveira, P.J.V., Correia, A.A. and Cajada, J.C., 2018. Effect of the type of soil on the cyclic
behaviour of chemically stabilised soils unreinforced and reinforced with polypropylene
fibres. Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, 115, pp.336-343.