Soil strengthening using micro-mesh and oriented layer(s) of geogrid reinforced sand

This paper discussed a series of laboratory model strip footing tests used to study the bearing capacity of reinforced earth slabs using either randomly distributed micro-meshes or oriented layer(s) of geogrid as reinforcement in sand. Netlon geogrid CE111 was used as a reinforcement material below the footing in the form of horizontal layer(s) or cut into equivalent small pieces, called micro-meshes, and randomly mixed with sand. For all tests the sand was compacted to a relative density of 70\%. The test results are used to compare the improvements that can be achieved over sand alone, obtained by using oriented reinforcement layer(s) and micro-mesh reinforcement for the same reinforcement ratio to show the best method for soil strengthening. The parameters studied in case of oriented layer(s) reinforced sand were the number of reinforcement layers and the width of reinforcement sheet; and in case of micro-mesh reinforcement were the width and the depth of the reinforced zone below the footing.