Enhancing Liquefaction Resistance in Silty Sands Through Non-Woven Geotextile Reinforcement: An Experimental Approach

Abstract

Given the extensive application of geotextile reinforcement in wind turbine foundations and road construction, it is crucial to explore the potential advantages of geotextile reinforcement under cyclic loading conditions. This is particularly crucial for intermediate soils, such as silty sand mixtures, which pose specific challenges. Conducting a series of cyclic triaxial tests aimed at offering fresh insights into the liquefaction behaviors of silty silica sands, both with and without reinforcement. This research employed two types of sand characterized by distinct median grain (D50) sizes and same morphological characteristics. In this process, modifications have been made to the non-woven geotextile (GT) layers, increasing them from 1 to 2 layers with different placements. In a Small silt system (fine content ≤ 40%), the addition of silt content resulted in a decrease in liquefaction resistance. Conversely, in a Large silt system (fine content ≥ 40%) for both sands, the liquefaction resistance exhibited an opposite behavior with the addition of silt content. Dilative behavior was observed as the D50 increased in sands, leading to an increase in their liquefaction resistance. The addition of geotextile (GT) improved the liquefaction resistance for both unreinforced and reinforced samples, and this effect varied depending on the placement of geotextiles. There appears to be an inverse relationship between the inclusion of GT and D50, while a direct relationship is observed with silt content. Moreover, the shear modulus (G) of both pure and silty samples increased with increments in the sand's D50, as well as with GT reinforcement and the addition of additional geotextile layers.

Keywords: Non-woven geotextile, Cyclic, Median grain size, Liquefaction