A Review of Physio-Biochemical Properties of Natural Fibers and Their Application in Soil Reinforcement

Abstract

The use of natural materials in place of synthetic materials has been the focus of research in sustainable geotechnics. In this context, use of natural plants/weeds as randomly distributed fiber-reinforced soil (RDFS) is extensively researched as a possible soil-improvement technique. The behavior of soil–natural fiber composite is dependent on the biochemical, physical, and mechanical properties of natural fibers. These natural-fiber properties are inherently different from those of conventional synthetic fibers, in which mechanical properties essentially govern the soil-fiber composite behavior. Very few geotechnical applications using natural geo-reinforcement materials have taken into consideration the biochemical and physical properties of the fiber. Moreover, there is rarely any systematic assessment and compilation of the work encompassing the application of natural fibers in soil reinforcement. This review summarizes the use of natural fibers in soil reinforcement. The study explores the importance and impact of natural-fiber properties on the performance of natural fibers in subsoil conditions. The treatment methodologies used in natural fibers to increase their longevity and reinforcement capabilities are also discussed. Based on this review, some key research gaps and the future scope of research have been highlighted. The review strongly recommends potential natural flora as RDFS fibers from a sustainability perspective. The review brings out the importance of biochemical composition (cellulose, lignin, hemicellulose, etc.) on fiber performance in subsoil conditions and highlights the use of treatment methodologies for fibers.

Revegetation of subtropical soil slopes: Groundcover performance and the implications of urban development and slope features on plant community

“…In terms of the plant community, ECM covers the soil surface and inhibits sunlight from reaching young plants below the mat. This will hinder growth of certain groundcovers and lead to altered plant community composition (Bordoloi, Garg, & Sekharan, ). The presence of ECM results in a more even plant community with no dominating species.…”

A State-of-the-Art Review on Soil Reinforcement Technology Using Natural Plant Fiber Materials: Past Findings, Present Trends and Future Directions

“…Nowadays, natural fibers are widely incorporated in many engineering applications and industries including automotive industries, food and agricultural industries due to their abundance, sustainability, cost effectiveness, low density, favorable strength, stiffness and so forth. [ 2 , 23 ]. Primarily, natural fibers can be considered into three sections in view of their instigation: (i) plant fibers (bamboo, jute, coir, hemp, etc.…”

“…High demand has been made for unstable and erosive lands with poor geotechnical properties due to ever increasing population growth and urbanization. Therefore, development of effective stabilization techniques for these environmentally sensitive lands and soils has been called for [ 1 , 2 ].…”

“…To date, nearly 4000 applications have been undertaken in more than 37 countries using the concept of soil reinforcement, after the invention by Vidal in 1969 [ 15 ]. Past research reflects an array of reinforcement materials ranging from low-modulus polymeric materials to high tensile strength metallic sheets, which were used as geosynthetics to enable the fiber-reinforcement of soil [ 2 , 16 ]. These conventional synthetic fibers were mostly the by-products of petroleum which is a non-renewable limited resource of the earth.…”

“…Geosynthetic products have gained popularity due to their flexibility during processing, high specific stiffness and low cost [ 17 ]. Worldwide capacity of such plastic composites exhibited a massive increase from 0.36 million metric tons in 2007 to 2.33 million metric tons by 2013 and is expected to increase to 3.45 million metric tons by 2020 [ 2 ]. In addition, incorporating steel bars as soil reinforcement has been reported as a non-ecofriendly approach due to detrimental impacts to the environment at the end of its useful life as the corroded steel is very toxic to the environment [ 18 ].…”