Mechanical Properties and Durability of Deep Soil–Cement Column Reinforced by Jute and PVA Fiber

Abstract

The modern deep cement mixing wall requires a thinner wall thickness due to limited space in urban areas. A soil–cement column can have the characteristics of a brittle failure pattern and low tensile and flexural strength due to the high cement content (10%–20%); thus, to ensure the serviceability and stability of a restricted wall when subjected to horizontal loads, jute fiber and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fiber are utilized as reinforcement to improve the flexural and fracture performance of the soil–cement column. In this research, the effect of fiber addition on the flexural performance and fracture mechanics of cemented soil were evaluated by the indicators of peak flexural strength, residual flexural tensile strength, crack mouth opening displacement (CMOD), and energy absorbing capacity. In addition, the durabilities of unreinforced and fiber-reinforced specimens were studied by comparing the flexural strength under wet–dry cycles and observing the plastic shrinkage cracks in the early age. The results showed that the inclusion of fibers significantly improved the flexural performance and fracture energy of soil–cement, and it was shown that the fiber reinforcement effectively restrained the formation and propagation of plastic shrinkage cracks in the early age and reduced the flexural strength loss under wet–dry cycles.