Numerical Simulation of Coir Geotextile Reinforced Soil Under Cyclic Loading

Coir geotextile is a natural fiber derived from the husk of coconut, and its use as a reinforcement element has recently shown great potential for applications in geostructures. The biodegradable nature of the coir fibers makes coir geotextiles an environmentally friendly ground improvement alternative for use in various infrastructure projects. In the recent past, a number of laboratory investigations have been carried out on the behavior of coir geotextile reinforced soil during monotonic loading; however, only limited number of studies have been carried out on coir geotextile reinforced soil during cyclic loading. In this study, a robust finite element model has been developed to understand and investigate the behavior of coir geotextile reinforced soil during cyclic loading. It was observed that the inclusion of coir geotextiles increases the bearing capacity and reduces the settlement of soil during cyclic loading. The inclusion of coir geotextile in the soil creates a shear interface between the geotextile and soil, which helps in transferring the stress from the soil to the geotextile. The inclusion of coir geotextiles in the middle of the subbase layer yielded their optimum performance during cyclic loading.