Shear strength of sands reinforced with randomly distributed fibers

Laboratory direct shear tests were performed to determine the shear strength of sands reinforced with randomly distributed discrete fibers. The test results indicated that fiber inclusions had no significant effect on the initial stiffness of stress-displacement relationship of sand. The horizontal displacements at failure for reinforced and unreinforced sands under the same vertical stresses were found comparable. The values of peak shear strength angle were also nearly identical for reinforced and unreinforced sand. However, the test results showed that fiber reinforcements limited the post peak reductions in shear strength and led to an increase in residual shear strength angle.