Influence of Recycled Aggregate Composites on the Factor of Safety of Earthen Structures

In this study, six composite reinforcements such as cement composite made of Abandoned Cell Husks (ASH), Stones, Wood chips, Concrete and Bricks have been used along with control specimen. It is known that the material used in earth reinforcement applications must be safe against tension failure and adhesion failure for its effective utilization in the field and reliable design of earth structures. Single type of material can provide limited reinforcement capability in reinforced earth structures due to its low frictional resistance and poor cohesion. For an optimal response, therefore, composite reinforcement, that fulfils both the requirements such as possess adequate tensile strength and adequate frictional resistance, is getting considerable attention. Slope stability analyses containing six types of reinforcement have been performed. Stability of the slope has been quantified using minimum factor of safety corresponding to critical slip surface. It was observed that the composite reinforcement whose surface treated by brick aggregate enhanced the factor of safety significantly. The paper also depicted the design aids of reinforced slope in terms of embedding lengths and spacing of reinforcements.