A practical methodology for the determination of failure envelopes of fiber-reinforced cemented sands

This study aims to estimate the Mohr–Coulomb failure envelope of fiber-reinforced and non-reinforced artificially cemented sands based on splitting tensile strength (σt) and unconfined compressive strength (σc) of such materials, without the necessity of carrying out triaxial testing. Based on the concept previously established by Consoli et al. that the σt/σc relationship is unique for each specific soil, fiber and cement agent, it is shown that the effective angle of shearing resistance of a given fiber-reinforced or non-reinforced cemented sandy soil (ϕ′) is dependent of the σt/σc ratio of such geomaterials and that effective cohesion intercept (c′) is a direct function of the unconfined compressive strength (σc) [or splitting tensile strength (σt)] and σt/σc ratio of the fiber-reinforced/non-reinforced improved soil. Finally, the concepts presented herein are successfully checked for glass fiber-reinforced/non-reinforced silty sand treated with ordinary Portland cement, considering weak, moderate and strong cementation levels.