Centrifuge modeling on fiber reinforced fly ash slope

Randomly distributed fiber reinforced soils have recently attracted increasing attention in geotechnical engineering. Due to non availability of the land construction of fly ash embankments with steep slopes is very important. For the experimental work natural fiber, coir, at fiber content of 1% (by dry weight) has been used. Direct shear test, unconfined compression test have been performed without and with coir fiber. Centrifuge tests have been performed on fly ash without and with coir fiber reinforcement at slope angle (theta = 71.5 degrees). Centrifuge tests have performed to observe the effect of coir fiber reinforcement in fly ash slope models. All the centrifuge tests were performed at 80 % compaction effort. Coir fiber reinforcement reduces the settlement of the slope and it fails at higher values of 'g', which means that fiber reinforced slopes, can sustain higher loads. Fiber reinforcement changes the brittle behavior of fly ash into ductile behavior. Factor of safety of all slope models have been found out using limit equilibrium method based on software, GEOSLOPE. Experimental results are compared with finite element analysis, using the software PLAXIS Version 8.