Enhancing the Mechanical Properties of Silty Soils Using Fibers Obtained from Waste Air Filters

Year 2025, Volume: 13 Issue: 2, 777 - 787, 30.06.2025

Mehmet Uğur Yilmazoğlu

https://doi.org/10.29109/gujsc.1600295

Abstract

In this study, the effect of waste vehicle air filters on the strength of silty soil was investigated by converting them into 6 mm long fibers. With the increase in environmental awareness worldwide and the focus on sustainability in construction applications, waste materials in geotechnical applications have attracted significant attention in recent years. The fibers obtained from vehicle air filters were mixed into the soil at 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00, 1.50, 2.00, 2.50 and 3.00 percent of the dry weight of the soil, and their effects on shear strength parameters were evaluated under laboratory conditions. Unconfined compressive strength tests were performed on fiber-reinforced soil samples, and the results were compared with those of unreinforced soil. Experimental results show that fiber reinforcement increases shear strength, and the optimum fiber ratio for maximum stability improvement is 0.75%. This study reveals that fibers obtained from waste vehicle air filters can be a sustainable alternative to polypropylene and other costly fibers with high carbon footprints. It can also be considered a potential ground improvement additive contributing to reducing waste and improving the mechanical properties of the ground.

Keywords

Sustainability, waste air filter, fiber, soil improvement

References

• [1] Abbaspour, M., Aflaki, E., & Nejad, F. M. (2019). Reuse of waste tire textile fibers as soil reinforcement. Journal of Cleaner Production, 207, 1059–1071.
• [2] Almuaythir, S., Zaini, M. S. I., Hasan, M., & Hoque, M. I. (2024). Sustainable soil stabilization using industrial waste ash: Enhancing expansive clay properties. Heliyon, 10(20).https://www.cell.com/heliyon/fulltext/S2405-8440(24)15155-9.
• [3] Estabragh, A. R., Rafatjo, H., & Javadi, A. A. (2014). Treatment of an expansive soil by mechanical and chemical techniques. Geosynthetics International, 21(3), 233–243. https://doi.org/10.1680/gein.14.00011.
• [4] Mukherjee, K., & Mishra, A. K. (2021). Recycled waste tire fiber as a sustainable reinforcement in compacted sand–bentonite mixture for landfill application. Journal of Cleaner Production, 329, 129691.
• [5] Narani, S. S., Abbaspour, M., Hosseini, S. M. M., Aflaki, E., & Nejad, F. M. (2020). Sustainable reuse of Waste Tire Textile Fibers (WTTFs) as reinforcement materials for expansive soils: With a special focus on landfill liners/covers. Journal of Cleaner Production, 247, 119151.
• [6] Tan, T., Huat, B. B. K., Anggraini, V., Shukla, S. K., & Nahazanan, H. (2021). Strength Behavior of Fly Ash-Stabilized Soil Reinforced with Coir Fibers in Alkaline Environment. Journal of Natural Fibers, 18(11), 1556–1569. https://doi.org/10.1080/15440478.2019.1691701.
• [7] Consoli, N. C., Zortéa, F., De Souza, M., & Festugato, L. (2011). Studies on the Dosage of Fiber-Reinforced Cemented Soils. Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, 23(12), 1624–1632.https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0000343
• [8] Khattak, M. J., & Alrashidi, M. (2006). Durability and mechanistic characteristics of fiber reinforced soil–cement mixtures. International Journal of Pavement Engineering, 7(1), 53–62. https://doi.org/10.1080/10298430500489207
• [9] Park, S.-S. (2011). Unconfined compressive strength and ductility of fiber-reinforced cemented sand. Construction and Building Materials, 25(2), 1134–1138.
• [10] Tang, C., Shi, B., Gao, W., Chen, F., & Cai, Y. (2007). Strength and mechanical behavior of short polypropylene fiber reinforced and cement stabilized clayey soil. Geotextiles and Geomembranes, 25(3), 194–202.
• [11] Yao, X., Huang, G., Wang, M., & Dong, X. (2021). Mechanical Properties and Microstructure of PVA Fiber Reinforced Cemented Soil. KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering, 25(2), 482–491. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12205-020-0998-x
• [12] Yilmazoğlu, M. U. (2024). Effect of Bone Ash and Rice Husk Ash on the Unconfined Compressive Strength of Silt Soil. Kastamonu University Journal of Engineering and Sciences, 10(1), 22–28.
• [13] Zhang, J., Xu, W., Gao, P., Yao, Z., Su, L., Qiu, N., & Huang, W. (2023). Compressive strength characteristics of hybrid fiber-reinforced cemented soil. International Journal of Pavement Engineering, 24(2), 2104843. https://doi.org/10.1080/10298436.2022.2104843
• [14] Ali, A., Hassan, N. A., & Ali, M. (2020). Strength characteristics of fiber-reinforced clayey soil. International Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, 14(2), 120–132. https://doi.org/10.1080/19386362.2020.1736789.
• [15] Hussein, A. A., & Ali, H. (2019). Effect of polypropylene fibers on the mechanical properties of expansive soils. Geotechnical and Geological Engineering, 37(5), 4563–4577. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-019-00952-1.
• [16] Pradhan, P. K., Kar, R. K., & Naik, A. (2012). Effect of random inclusion of polypropylene fibers on strength characteristics of cohesive soil. Geotechnical and Geological Engineering, 30(1), 15–25. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-011-9441-9.
• [17] ASTM C1585. Standard test method for measurement of rate of absorption of water by hydraulic-cement concretes; 2004.
• [18] ASTM, D4318. Standard Test Methods for Liquid Limit, Plastic Limit, and Plasticity Index of Soils.
• [19] ASTM D698-12, 2012. Standard test methods for laboratory compaction characteristics of soil using standard effort (12 400 ft-lbf/ft3 (600 kN-m/ m3)). West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM International.