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Experimental Study of Load and Settlement Behavior of Bamboo Grid Reinforced Sand
Sunil K. Ahirwar, S.M.ASCE1; and J. N. Mandal2
1
Research Scholar, Dept. of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076. E-mail:
sunilahirwar@civil.iitb.ac.in
2
Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076. E-mail:
cejnm@civil.iitb.ac.in
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ABSTRACT
The tridirectional bamboo grid is a new innovative reinforcement of the limited life
geotextiles (LLGs) family. It is more stable than the bidirectional bamboo grid and capable of
transferring the stresses uniformly in all directions. Experimental studies of the pressure
settlement behavior of single layer bamboo grid reinforced sand are introduced in this
manuscript. Various laboratory model tests were performed to assess the bearing capacities of
reinforced sand with the tridirectional bamboo grid and bidirectional bamboo grid. In the present
study, static plate load tests were conducted in a steel tank (0.7 m×0.7 m×0.6 m) on non-
reinforced and reinforced sand in the laboratory. The square model footing of size 100 mm×100
mm was used for all laboratory model tests. Two types of geogrids, namely bidirectional and a
tridirectional bamboo grid made of a bamboo material of different aperture shape were utilized in
the model testing. The effect of aperture shape and placement of bamboo grid at different depth
ratios u/B on the bearing capacity of reinforced sand was investigated. The pressure settlement
behavior of reinforced sand showed the placement of reinforcement beyond the zone of influence
of depth ratio gives marginal improvement. The geometry of bamboo grid is more useful for
improving the bearing capacity of reinforced sand. The experimental results indicate that the
tridirectional bamboo grid provides better performance as compared to the bidirectional bamboo
grid.

INTRODUCTION
Many experimental studies have been performed to establish that the soil reinforcement with
geogrid is the easiest and economically efficient ground modification techniques. This technique
has been applied in many civil engineering construction projects, like retaining wall, slope
protection, pavements, and foundations. Model studies conducted by Binquet and Lee (1975) for
investigating the bearing capacity mechanism of reinforced soil below the footing. Various types
of reinforcement materials, i.e., strips and grids and discrete fibers are being extensively used in
the reinforced structure. Various parametric studies on uniaxial and biaxial geogrid reinforced
soil were examined by investigators (Akinmusuru and Akinbolade 1981; Fragasy and Lawton
1984; Guido et al. 1986; Sah and Mandal 1992; Omar et al. 1993a,b; Das and Omar 1994;
Yetimoglu et al. 1994; Shin and Das 2000; Dash et al. 2004; Latha and Somawanshi 2009; Abu-
farsakh et al. 2013).In the above studies, the primary purpose of reinforcing soil was to bearing
capacity improvement and settlement reduction. Despite the existing polymer-based geosynthetic
materials are not cost-effective and environmentally friendly.
The sustainable aspect of natural reinforced materials has encouraged researchers to explore
the use of natural materials in place of commercial geosynthetic material. Very few researchers
have been performed the small-scale model testing with using natural reinforced materials for
strengthening the base of foundations Akinmusuru and Akinbolade (1981) investigated the

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stability of square footing on the sand reinforced with strips of a rope fiber material. Dixit and
Mandal (1985) Performed experimental investigation of model square footing in reinforced sand
using niwar tape and coir rope. Mandal and Manjunath (1994) demonstrated the model tests to
examine the bearing capacity of sand subgrade using the bamboo grid as a vertical
reinforcement. Datye and Gore (1994) conducted the field studies to use of natural nonwoven
geotextile in conjunction with bamboo strip reinforcement for the base of roads. Toh et al.
(1994) reported field studies on applications of nonwoven geotextile with the bamboo mattress in
the ground fill on very soft foundation soils, peat, and marine clay in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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Observers found that the bamboo grid mattress provided a firm base and bearing capacity also
increased. Khatib (2009) performed small-scale model tests to investigate the performance of
bamboo poles for improvement in bearing capacity of the soft foundation soil. The experimental
results showed that the bearing resistance increased approximately two times using bamboo
poles. Marto and Othman (2011) performed field tests on the embankment supported by the
bamboo cross beams Hegde and Sitharam (2014) compared the performance of bamboo
reinforced and commercial geosynthetic materials. Dutta and Mandal (2015) conducted model
studies on the effectiveness of bamboo grid using fly ash material place on top of soft soil bed
through small-scale plate load tests. Very few researchers have performed experimental studies
on the effectiveness of the different aperture shape of geogrid. Dong et al. (2010) performed
laboratory model tests to evaluate and compare the bearing capacities results of reinforced sand
using the different aperture shape of geogrid. Most of these experimental studies have presented
the results of small-scale load tests on sand bed reinforced with a bamboo grid of square
aperture. So far, it is observed that the very few researchers have compared the effectiveness of
aperture shape of geogrid. A detailed study on the different aperture shape of bamboo grid
reinforcement is needed for the economic and efficient design of reinforcement. This study
presented the performance of different shape of the aperture of the bamboo grid on bearing
capacity behavior of sand beds under the square footing. To increase the durability of
reinforcement, the bamboo grid was chemically treated by the copper chrome arsenic solution.

MATERIALS USED

River Sand
Table 1. Physical properties of river sand
Specific gravity 2.64
D10 (mm) 0.65
D30 (mm) 0.78
D50 (mm) 0.92
D60 (mm) 0.98
Coefficient of uniformity (Cu) 1.46
Coefficient of curvature (Cc) 0.92
3
Maximum dry unit weight (kN/m ) 15.30
3
Minimum dry unit weight (kN/m ) 13.24
Angle of friction (°) at 71 % relative density 36.50

The material used in this experimental study was river sand. The particle size distribution
curve of river sand is presented in figure 1. The soil is classified and identified as poorly graded

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sand (SP) as per the Unified soil classification system ASTM D2487-17. The maximum and
minimum dry unit weights were determined by the procedure given in ASTM D4253-16 and
D4254-16 respectively. The maximum and minimum void ratios were obtained at 0.96 and 0.69.
The other geotechnical properties of the river sand used in the experimental study summarized in
Table 1. The average dry unit weight and the relative density of sand were maintained for all
model tests at 14.6 kN/m3 and 71 % respectively.
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Figure 1. Particle size distribution curve

Reinforcement Material
Locally available bamboo was used as a reinforcement material. The bamboo strip used in
the grid was a width of 3 mm and 1 mm thick. The bamboo strips were assembled in the planar
form of bidirectional (square aperture), and tridirectional (hexagonal aperture) are shown in
figure 2. The tensile strength properties of the bamboo grid were evaluated according to the
procedure given in ASTM D 4595-17 and presented in figure 3. The Physical and mechanical
properties of bamboo grid presented in Table 2.

Table 2. Properties of the bamboo grid used in the tests

Parameters Value
Reinforcement type Bidirectional Tridirectional
Aperture shape Square Hexagonal
2
Mass per unit area (g/m ) 325 375
Ultimate tensile strength (kN/m) 20 28
Failure strain (%) 3.0 3.3
Secant modulus at 2% strain (kN/m) 580 865

TESTING PROCEDURE AND PROGRAM

The square tank was fabricated with internal plan dimensions of 700 mm × 700 mm × 600
mm. The size of the model footing measured 100 × 100 mm and thickness of plate was 15 mm.
A 500 mm thick sand bed was prepared in the model tank by sand raining method. The average
relative density of 71% was adopted for all model tests. A series of trials of sand pouring/raining
were performed from different heights to achieving the required relative density. For maintaining

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the placing density (71% relative density), marking lines were drawn on the inside walls of the
tank to have layers of sand. During the sand pouring, the mass of sand required in each layer was
measured (Mass of sand = placing density of sand × volume in between two consecutive lines
marked on inside walls of the tank). The bamboo grid reinforcement was placed at their position
according to a predetermined depth. After placing of reinforcement, the sand falling was done till
the base of model footing. The model footing was kept on a leveled surface. Two LVTD (Linear
variable displacement transducer) were used and placed diagonally at the corner of the model
footing to measuring the settlement of the model footing in the sand bed. The vertical loading
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data were recorded up to maximum 30 mm settlement of model footing plate. The settlement
values of model footing reported is the average value of measured deformation. The plate load
test conducted on the unreinforced sand bed was representing test series A to find out the load-
settlement behavior of sand. Test series B-1 and B-2 were conducted on tridirectional and
bidirectional bamboo grid to find out the influence of the depth of top layer reinforcement (u).

Figure 2. Photograph of (a) bidirectional bamboo grid (b) tridirectional bamboo grid

Figure 3.Tensile load-strain curve of bamboo grid

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
The model test was conducted on the unreinforced sand bed to compare the effect of bamboo
grid reinforcement in improving bearing capacity versus settlement behavior of the footing.
Figures 4 and 5 present the pressure settlement behavior of unreinforced and reinforced sand.
The failure point clearly observed in the figures 4 and 5 for the unreinforced sand, but in case of
bamboo grid reinforced sand the pressure settlement behavior shows non-linearly. The ultimate
bearing capacity and corresponding settlement was determined using a log-log scale plot. The
tests result of bearing pressure and settlement were plotted on log - log scale. It gives the two

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straight lines and the intersection of these lines considered as yield point which indicates the
ultimate bearing capacity. The bearing resistance of reinforced sand was found higher than that
of unreinforced sand. The higher bearing resistance can be due to the frictional resistance offered
by the rough surface of the bamboo grid at the interface of reinforcement and sand. This
frictional resistance reduces the movement of soil mass against shearing under footing loading,
which improves the strength of reinforced sand than that of unreinforced sand. The aperture
shape of the bamboo grid also contributes to the shearing resistance due to interlocking action
between reinforcement and sand which build the greater stiffer sand bed.
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Figure 4. Variation of applied pressure and footing settlement for bidirectional bamboo
grid
Influence of depth ratio (u/B) of the bamboo grid on pressure-settlement behavior
The variation of applied pressure versus percentage footing settlement obtained for
unreinforced sand with a bamboo grid of square aperture at different depth ratios (u/B) is
presented in figure 4. The pressure-settlement response was found higher for single layer
bamboo grid reinforced sand at different depth ratio u/B=0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5 and 1.0, as
compared to unreinforced sand. It is observed that depth ratio (u/B) of bidirectional bamboo grid
varied from 0.5 to 1.0, the pressure-settlement resistance was higher than that of the unreinforced
sand. However, it was lower as compared to that found corresponding to depth ratio u/B=0.4.
Figure 5 shows the applied pressure versus percentage footing settlement for unreinforced and
reinforced sand with a tridirectional bamboo grid of the same size which is four times model
footing width. The maximum bearing pressure was found at depth ratio u/B=0.3 which was the
marginally higher value of bearing pressure corresponding to depth ratio u/B=0.5 and 1.0. The
pattern in graph thus shows the optimum location depth u/B=0.3 of bamboo grid reinforced sand
for achieving maximum bearing capacity improvement. This may be due sufficient overburden
pressure available at u/B=0.3 for mobilization to surface friction resistance between sand and
bamboo grid. For the same width of the bamboo grid, the bearing pressure improvement in
hexagonal aperture bamboo grid observed more as compared to the square aperture bamboo grid.
This may be due to the effect of interlocking action, and surface friction resistance provides by a

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hexagonal aperture in the tridirectional bamboo grid is higher as compared to bidirectional

bamboo grid reinforcement. Similar trends of results of u/B reported by Akinmusuru and
Akinbolade (1981) on sand reinforced with rope fiber, Omar et al. (1993) reported the depth of
first layer reinforcement u/B=0.33 and Yetimoglu et al. (1994) found maximum bearing capacity
at u=0.3B.
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Figure 5. Variation of applied pressure and footing settlement for tridirectional bamboo
grid

Influence of depth ratio (u/B) on bearing capacity and settlement reduction

Bearing capacity improvement is represented by a factor called bearing capacity ratio. The
bearing capacity ratio (BCR) is the ratio of the ultimate bearing capacity of reinforced sand to the
ultimate bearing capacity of unreinforced sand. The variation of BCR with depth ratio u/B is
shown in figure 6 (a). It is seen that BCR increases with the increase of depth ratio u/B at the
optimum value of depth ratio u/B at which maximum bearing capacity ratio is obtained. In case
of hexagonal aperture bamboo grid reinforced sand, the maximum BCR obtained at depth ratio
u/B=0.3. A similar pattern of BCR was observed for square aperture bamboo grid, and maximum
BCR was found at depth ratio u/B=0.4. The bearing capacity ratio values of the tridirectional
bamboo grid are higher than those of bidirectional bamboo grid reinforced sand. This may be due
to a higher tensile modulus of the tridirectional bamboo grid and more confinement and
interlocking behavior between sand and reinforcement. The footing settlement behavior due to
the provision of the bamboo grid is plotted between percentage reduction in settlement (PRS)
and depth ratios u/B. The percentage reduction in settlement defined as PRS=(S u-Sr)/Su × 100,
where Su is the settlement ratio of non-reinforced sand corresponding to ultimate bearing
capacity at a particular u/B ratio and Sr is the settlement ratio of reinforced sand corresponding to
the same value of the ultimate bearing capacity of unreinforced sand. Figure 6(b) shows the
comparison of percentage settlement reduction ratio, and depth ratio between the bidirectional
bamboo grid and tridirectional bamboo grid reinforced sand. It is observed that the PRS

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increases with increase in u/B ratio upto the optimum value of u/B ratio, thereafter slightly
decrease with increase in depth ratio u/B. Similar behavior of settlement reduction can be
observed with u/B ratio for square aperture shape bamboo grid. This can be attributed to the
better interlocking system provided through bamboo grid reinforcement and lateral and
peripheral resistance during footing settlement. From the figure 6, it is also seen that the
performance of the hexagonal aperture shape bamboo grid is better than the square aperture
shape bamboo grid due to its geometry.
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Figure 6. Variation of (a) BCR Vs u/B, and (b) PRS Vs u/B

CONCLUSIONS
A series of model plate load tests performed in the laboratory for comparative studies of the
effect of depth ratio u/B for bamboo grid reinforced sand with the two different aperture shape
reinforcement under a static loading on the square footing. The enhancement in bearing capacity
and reduction in the settlement ratio depends on the aperture shape of bamboo grid
reinforcement. Based on the model test results presented in this investigation the following
conclusions are made:
The optimum depth ratio u/B of bamboo grid reinforced sand is found 0.3 times width of
footing for the tridirectional bamboo grid and 0.4 times width of footing for the
bidirectional bamboo grid for achieving maximum bearing resistance of reinforced sand.
The improvement in bearing capacity practically vanishes when the single bamboo grid
reinforcement is placed beyond 0.5 times footing width.
The provision of a bamboo grid reinforcement layer into the sand bed increases the
bearing capacity by a factor of 2.5 to 3.0 at the optimum placement of single layer
reinforcement. The effectiveness of bamboo grid decreases as the depth of reinforcement
below the base of footing increases. This may be due to overburden pressure of sand
increases over bamboo grid generated higher footing settlement and the lower bearing
capacity of reinforced sand.
The footing settlement reduction due to the provision of the bamboo grid is found 47%
for bidirectional bamboo grid reinforced sand and 53 % for tridirectional bamboo grid
reinforced sand at the optimum depth ratio u/B. This is about 6% improvement in
reduction of footing settlement is obtained through the hexagonal aperture bamboo grid.

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geogrid-reinforced sand.” J. Geotech. Eng., 120(12), 2083–2099

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