Effect of Untreated Oil Palm Fruit Fibre on the Engineering Properties of Road Construction Earth Materials

Abstract

This study first evaluated the engineering properties of lateritic soil samples from three selected locations in South Eastern Nigeria (Nawfia, Okpuno, and Ugwuoba). The effect of Oil Palm Fruit Fibre (OPFF) on the properties of these soil materials was investigated, with special emphasis on road construction applicability. The samples were subjected to different tests to ascertain their index properties. Varying proportions of OPFF from 0.5% to 3% were incorporated into the soil samples and the effects were observed based on compaction and California Bearing Ratio (CBR) results. The control samples without inclusion of OPFF achieved the highest Maximum Dry Densities (MDD), the MDDs reduced linearly as the OPFF content increased. Consequently, the CBR values decreased with increase in OPFF. The reduction in MDD for the Nawfia samples ranged from 0.29% to 5.31% as the OPFF increased from 0.5% to 3%. The MDD of the Okpuno sample also reduced within the range of 1.25% to 9.51% whereas the reduction for the Ugwuoba soil is within the range of 1.55% and 9.79%. With the inclusion of the OPFF, there was up to 75% to 83% drop in CBR values of the soil rendering them very unsuitable for pavement subgrade. It was concluded that the presence of fibre depreciated the engineering properties of the earth materials. Direct application of OPFF in any part of road pavement has been dissuaded.

Stabilisasi Tanah Lempung Menggunakan Abu Tandan Kelapa Sawit Dan Semen Terhadap Nilai CBR

“…Untuk membangun konstruksi jalan perlu diperhatikan subgrade jalan dengan daya dukung tanah yang bagus. Banyak faktor yang mempengaruhi kekuatan tanah sehingga dapat mempengaruhi sifat tanah seperti kuat dukung tanah, kuat geser tanah, kuat tekan tanah, dan kadar air [2]. Tanah lunak biasanya terkenal karena kuat dukung yang rendah, kadar air yang tinggi, kompresibilitas tinggi, deformabilitas tinggi, dan permeabilitas rendah, yang menyebabkan kesulitan dalam aplikasi geoteknik [3].…”

“…Kemudian sampel dengan 5 lapisan dilakukan penumbukan dengan masing-masing lapisan 10, 35, 65 tumbukan. Untuk mencari nilai CBR diketehaui hambatan pada tanah stabilisasi dapat menggunakan rumus: CBR = (beban terkoreksi) : (beban standar) (2) Rumus yang digunakan untuk pengujian Atterberg dapat ditelusuri pada Persamaan (3) sampai dengan Persamaan (5) [13] . Perhitungan pertama terkait nilai batas cair (liquid limit).…”

Effects of oil palm mesocarp fibers on the physical and mechanical properties of expansive soils

“…In this way geotechnical engineers need to know the physical and mechanical properties of the soils in order to guarantee the structural stability of the works to be built [1]. Also, weak soils are often encountered in road construction sites, but where they are encountered as natural soils, they are either removed and substitute with a borrowed subgrade material or improved by addition of some soils stabilizer [2]. As clay soils being the weakest in one most cases with worst physical and mechanical properties in the presence of water, there are some clay soils characterized by considerable changes in one their volume when variations of water content occur, causing serious damage and deformations to structures built on them, particularly to building and light pavement and other not [3].…”