Have a personal or library account? Click to login
Research on the failure behavior of cement- and fiber-reinforced sand under triaxial tensile loads Cover

Research on the failure behavior of cement- and fiber-reinforced sand under triaxial tensile loads

By: Hysen Ahmeti and  Ragip Behrami  
Open Access
|Aug 2025

Figures & Tables

Figure 1

Gradation curve of the sand.
Gradation curve of the sand.

Figure 2

Split cylindrical mold.
Split cylindrical mold.

Figure 3

Specimen geometry.
Specimen geometry.

Figure 4

Schematic diagram of the triaxial tensile test device Tf (kPa).
Schematic diagram of the triaxial tensile test device Tf (kPa).

Figure 5

Triaxial tensile test device.
Triaxial tensile test device.

Figure 6

Fracture mode: (a) CP = 300 kPa, CC = 3.0%, and FC = 0.0%; (b) CP = 300 kPa, CC = 5.0%, and FC = 0.0%; (c) CP = 200 kPa, CC = 3.0%, and FT = TYPE I; (d) CP = 300 kPa, CC = 5.0%, and FT = TYPE II; (e) CP = 100 kPa, CC = 3.0%, and FT = TYPE II; and (f) CP = 200 kPa, CC = 5.0%, and FT = TYPE II.
Fracture mode: (a) CP = 300 kPa, CC = 3.0%, and FC = 0.0%; (b) CP = 300 kPa, CC = 5.0%, and FC = 0.0%; (c) CP = 200 kPa, CC = 3.0%, and FT = TYPE I; (d) CP = 300 kPa, CC = 5.0%, and FT = TYPE II; (e) CP = 100 kPa, CC = 3.0%, and FT = TYPE II; and (f) CP = 200 kPa, CC = 5.0%, and FT = TYPE II.

Figure 7

Stress–strain and volume change behavior with 3.0% cement: (a) FC = 0.0%; (b) FC = 0.5% and TF = I; and (c) FC = 0.5% and TF = II.
Stress–strain and volume change behavior with 3.0% cement: (a) FC = 0.0%; (b) FC = 0.5% and TF = I; and (c) FC = 0.5% and TF = II.

Figure 8

Stress–strain and volume change behavior with 5.0% cement: (a) FC = 0.0%; (b) FC = 0.5% and TF = I; (c) FC = 0.5% and TF = II.
Stress–strain and volume change behavior with 5.0% cement: (a) FC = 0.0%; (b) FC = 0.5% and TF = I; (c) FC = 0.5% and TF = II.

Figure 9

The effects of brittleness index versus confining pressure and type of fiber: (a) CC = 3.0% and (b) CC = 5.0%.
The effects of brittleness index versus confining pressure and type of fiber: (a) CC = 3.0% and (b) CC = 5.0%.

Figure 10

Changes in tensile strength against confining pressure and type of fiber: (a) CC = 3.0% and (b) CC = 5.0%.
Changes in tensile strength against confining pressure and type of fiber: (a) CC = 3.0% and (b) CC = 5.0%.

Figure 11

Axial strain changes in failure stress with changes in confining pressure and type of fiber: (a) CC = 3.0% and (b) CC = 5.0%.
Axial strain changes in failure stress with changes in confining pressure and type of fiber: (a) CC = 3.0% and (b) CC = 5.0%.

Figure 12

Changes in initial stiffness and stiffness at 50% tension strength of samples with 5% cement with changes in confining pressure and type of fiber.
Changes in initial stiffness and stiffness at 50% tension strength of samples with 5% cement with changes in confining pressure and type of fiber.

Figure 13

Changes in energy absorption up to failure point versus effects of fiber diameter.
Changes in energy absorption up to failure point versus effects of fiber diameter.

Figure 14

Changes in normalized absorbed energy compared to axial strain with the effect of fiber diameter.
Changes in normalized absorbed energy compared to axial strain with the effect of fiber diameter.

Figure 15

Failure envelopes for cement-treated sand reinforced with fibers compared to the percentage of cement: (a) CC = 3% and (b) CC = 5%.
Failure envelopes for cement-treated sand reinforced with fibers compared to the percentage of cement: (a) CC = 3% and (b) CC = 5%.

Figure 16

Changes in (a) the cohesion intercept and (b) internal friction coefficient compared to the fiber dimensional ratio.
Changes in (a) the cohesion intercept and (b) internal friction coefficient compared to the fiber dimensional ratio.

Figure 17

Changes in the main stress ratio in (a) peak stress and (b) residual stress.
Changes in the main stress ratio in (a) peak stress and (b) residual stress.

Summary of triaxial direct tension test results in the present study_

CCFCTFCPa Devatoric stress (kPa)Mean stress (kPa)Volumetric strain (%)Axial state (%)
At failureResidual stateAt failureResidual stateAt failureResidual stateAt failureResidual state
30100−196−1043565−0.037−0.45−0.41−1.07
30200−277−1911081360.035−0.86−0.45−1.32
30300−365−2781782070.029−0.22−0.49−0.89
30300−364−2821792060.060−0.10−0.46−0.73
30.5I100−172−1604347−0.601−1.61−0.61−0.51
30.5I200−258−240114120−0.303−1.21−0.66−2.18
30.5I300−311−293196202−0.031−1.35−1.00−3.26
30.5I200−245−222118126−0.330−1.45−0.77−2.33
30.5100−148−1235159−1.800−1.80−1.40−4.50
30.5200−239−192120136−1.050−1.43−2.06−4.39
30.5300−320−292193203−1.190−1.60−2.51−1.76
50100−211−953068−0.229−0. 66−0.58−1.01
50200−346−16485145−0.100−0.63−0.44−1.25
50300−431−240156220−0.050−0.53−0.561.46
50200−316−17295143−0.090−0.43−0.42−1.22
50300−450−232150223−0.050−0.33−0.56−1.47
50.5I100−186−16538450.110−1.62−0.55−3.02
50.5I200−333−31389960.120−0.99−0.38−3.03
50.5I300−406−3691651770.110−1.06−0.70−5.54
50.5II100−191−1573648−2.160−2.68−0.68−9.97
50.5II200−299−267100111−1.860−2.00−05.86−11.56
50.5II300−364−328179191−0.900−1.80−8.89−12.09
50.5II200−322−25693115−2.150−3.10−4.77−7.20

Physical properties of the fiber_

TypingFiber type IFiber type II
MaterialMicro-syntheticMacro-synthetic
Tensile strength4,000,000570,000–660,000 kPa
Diameter23 μm300 μm
Aspect ratio600–1,20030–120
Number per kg<100,000,00053,800
ColorGlossyGray

Summary of uniaxial tensile strength test results in the present study_

CCa FCb TFc T f (kPa)
3044
30.5I41
30.5II39
50104
50.5I95
50.5II90

Physical properties of the cement object_

Object Range
Autoclave 0.2
Blian
Setting time (min)
Initial 120
Final 180
Compressive strength (MPa)
3 days 220
7 days 320
28 days 400
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sgem-2025-0018 | Journal eISSN: 2083-831X | Journal ISSN: 0137-6365
Language: English
Page range: 27 - 45
Submitted on: Nov 12, 2024
Accepted on: Apr 28, 2025
Published on: Aug 14, 2025
Published by: Wroclaw University of Science and Technology
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 4 issues per year

© 2025 Hysen Ahmeti, Ragip Behrami, published by Wroclaw University of Science and Technology
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.