Sorption characteristics of stabilised soil blocks embedded with waste plastic fibres

• Disintegration of raw specimens during Water absorption test clearly suggest the essentiality of Cement stabilisation.
• Static compaction with Cement stabilisation reduces Water absorption.
• 10–15% Cement stabilisation reduce the Water absorption to fall within the BIS specifications.
• The Sorptivity values varied from 0.984 to 0.304 mm/√min, for different combinations of stabilisers and fibres.
• The combination of mechanical and chemical stabilisation has resulted in a reduction in Sorptivity.

This paper highlights the results of an experimental investigation, on the Sorption Characteristics of plastic fibre reinforced soil, done to study the possibility of utilisation of waste plastics in soil masonry blocks. Cylindrical specimen of raw soil and modified soil were prepared by compacting at different moulding pressures and were tested for sorption characteristics. Raw soil is modified by adding varying percentage of stabiliser (Cement: 5%, 10% and 15%), fibre types (made out of mineral water bottles and carry bags), fibre lengths (1 cm and 2 cm) and fibre percentages (0.1% and 0.2%). The sorption characteristics of mud blocks have been studied by measuring Water absorption and Sorptivity. Water absorption of samples with 10 - 15% Cement stabilisation was less than the value specified by IS 1725-1982. The combination of mechanical and chemical stabilization without fiber addition has resulted in a reduction in sorptivity. But fiber addition increased the sorptivity.