Effect of Polypropylene Fibers on Mechanical Properties of Adobe Bricks

Abstract

This research is the result of the study on the effect of polypropylene fibers on the mechanical properties of Adobe bricks. The soil used for the experiment was laterite soil from Prachinburi Province. The polypropylene fibers used in the experiment had a length not more than 13 mm. The dosage of fibers in the mixture was 0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1 percent of the dry soil weight. The test results showed that the amount of fibers affected the amount of water used in the mixture. The compaction of soil samples containing fibers required an increase in the amount of water between 1.86 and 2.17 times compared to the control samples. The results of the compression and flexural strength tests showed that polypropylene fibers could improve the mechanical properties of Adobe bricks. The sample containing 1 percent polypropylene fibers had the highest compressive and flexural strengths. After the failure, the polypropylene fibers helped to hold the soil together and prevented it from separating.