1 Zijin School of Geology and Mining, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, China
2 Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention of Hilly Mountains, Ministry of Natural Resources and Fujian Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention, Geological Engineering Survey in Fujian Province, Fuzhou 350002, China
3 College of Civil Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, China
Expansive soil, characterized by swelling upon water absorption and shrinkage upon drying, is widely distributed. Plants are often used to enhance the engineering properties of soil due to their environmental friendliness. Investigating the effects of vegetation on the compressive and shear strength characteristics of weakly expansive soil is fundamental to the application of plants in treating expansive soil. The effects of Bermuda grass on the strength properties of weakly expansive soil were systematically investigated. Specifically, unconfined compressive strength tests and unsaturated direct shear tests were conducted to explore the effects of factors such as planting density, vertical pressure, and suction on the strength of weakly expansive soil. Bermuda grass was planted at densities of 25 g/m2, 40 g/m2, and 50 g/m2, corresponding to groups P25, P40, and P50, respectively. The test results show as follows. Plants enhance the unconfined compressive strength of weakly expansive soil, with this strengthening effect becoming more pronounced as soil water content increases. For instance, compared with the bare soil, the P50 group exhibits compressive strength increases of 11.5%, 17.3%, and 25.2% at water contents of 27.5%, 32.5%, and 37.5%, respectively. Plants significantly increase the effective cohesion (c') and the unsaturated friction angle (ϕb) of weakly expansive soil. The effective cohesion values of groups P25 (root content: 0.98 kg/m3), P40 (root content: 1.25 kg/m3), and P50 (root content: 1.49 kg/m3) are 1.15, 1.42, and 1.54 times that of the bare soil group, respectively. With increasing suction, the ϕb values of the planted groups stabilize at approximately 1.5 times that of the bare soil. Plants mitigate the volume changes in weakly expansive soil during shearing. As suction increases, the soil behavior transitions from shear contraction to dilation, with higher planting densities resulting in progressively smaller volumetric change.
LIU Hong-wei, LAN Fu-fa, FENG Song, JIAN Wen-bin, ZHUANG Ming-ze.
Effects of Bermuda Grass on Strength Characteristics of Weakly Expansive Soil[J].
Science Technology and Engineering, 2026, 26(26): 11417-11427 DOI:10.12404/j.issn.1671-1815.2506876
研究所用土为取自福建,土样呈黄白色,其基本物理特性指标如表1所示,根据《膨胀土地区建筑技术规范》(GB 50112—2013),试验土样为弱膨胀土[20]。试验土样风干后过 2 mm 筛,去除石头与草根等杂质,置于105 ℃烘箱中烘干至恒重。烘干后的土均匀喷洒无气水至土体最优含水量 (27.5%),湿土过2 mm 筛后放入密封容器中至少24 h使其水分平衡。
Ministry of Transport of the People’s Republic of China. Code for highway engineering geological investigation: JTG C20-2011[S]. Beijing: China Communications Press, 2011.
XiaoJ, YangH P, ZhangJ H, et al. Properties of drained shear strength of expansive soil considering low stresses and its influencing factors[J]. International Journal of Civil Engineering, 2018, 16(10): 1389-1398.
[6]
YilmazI, MarschalkoM. The effect of different types of water on the swelling behaviourof expansive clays[J]. Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment, 2014, 73(4): 1049-1062.
[7]
ZhaiQ, RahardjoH, SatyanagaA, et al. Estimation of unsaturated shear strength from soil-water characteristic curve[J]. Acta Geotechnica, 2019, 14(6): 1977-1990.
[8]
BlatzJ A, GrahamJ, ChandlerN A. Influence of suction on the strength and stiffness of compacted sand-bentonite[J]. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 2002, 39(5): 1005-1015.
OuyangMiao, LanRiyan, ZhangHongri, et al. Shear-strength model of root-soil interface considering interfacial suction and its influencing factor[J]. China Journal of Highway and Transport, 2025, 38(1): 108-118.
[11]
YeW M, ZhangY W, ChenB, et al. Shear strength of an unsaturated weakly expansive soil[J]. Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, 2010, 2(2): 155-161.
[12]
OuyangM, ZhangH R, WangG Y, et al. Influence of Xanthan gum on the engineering properties and microstructure of expansive soils[J]. Frontiers in Materials, 2025, 12: 1598601.
ZhangJunhui, ChenShasha, GuFan. Industrial waste materials utilized in subgrade modification: a review[J]. China Journal of Highway and Transport, 2023, 36(10): 1-16.
XuYingzi, HuangZhengqi, YanRikui, et al. Model experimental study on expansive soil improved by gravel[J]. Science Technology and Engineering, 2021, 21(19): 8145-8151.
ZhangYan, HeGanghua, YuPengli. Strength characteristics and Duncan-Chang model parameters of expansive soil improved by fiber coal gangue[J]. Science Technology and Engineering, 2022, 22(21): 9260-9267.
HuBin, WangXingang, LianBaoqin. Applicability exploration of improving engineering properties of expansive soil with fiber materials[J]. Chinese Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, 2010, 32(S2): 615-618.
[21]
FengS, LiuH W, NgC. Analytical analysis of the mechanical and hydrological effects of vegetation on shallow slope stability[J]. Computers and Geotechnics, 2020, 118: 103335.
[22]
MaQ, WuN Z, XiaoH L, et al. Effect of Bermuda grass root on mechanical properties of soil under dry-wet cycles[J]. Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment, 2021, 80(9): 1-15.
LiuXiaowen, ChangLijun, HuXiaorong. Experimental research of matric suction with water content and dry density of unsaturated laterite[J]. Rock and Soil Mechanics, 2009, 30(11): 3302-3306.
[25]
CokcoE, TilgenH P. Shear strenght-suction relationship of compacted Ankara clay[J]. Applied Clay Science, 2010, 49(4): 400-404.
GuoLina, DaiChenglong, ZhaoYi. Experimental study on dilata-ncy of unsaturated silty clay with different matric suction[J]. Geotechnical Investigation & Surveying, 2022, 50(9): 20-24.
Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of the People’s Republic of China. Technical code for building in expansive soil regions: GB50112-2013[S]. Beijing: China Architecture & Building Press, 2013.
[30]
LeungK A, GargA, CooL J, et al. Effects of the roots of Cyno-don dactylon and Schefflera heptaphylla on water infiltration rate and soil hydraulic conductivity[J]. Hydrological Processes, 2015, 29(15): 3342-3354.
[31]
ChengQ, GuY D, TangC S, et al. Desiccation cracking beha-viour of a vegetated soil incorporating planting density[J]. Cana-dian Geotechnical Journal, 2024, 61(1): 165-173.
Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of the People’s Republic of China. Soil test method standard: GB/ T 50123-2019[S]. Beijing: China Planning Press, 2019.
[34]
程磊. 植物根系加固边坡作用试验研究[D]. 北京: 中国地质大学(北京), 2018.
[35]
ChenLei. Experimental study on slope reinforcement by plant roots[D]. Beijing: China University of Geosciences (Beijing), 2018.
[36]
FredlundD G, MorgensternN R, WidgerR A. The shear strength of unsaturated soils[J]. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 1978, 15(3): 313-321.
[37]
MaJ Y, LiZ B, SunB Y, et al. Mechanism and modeling of different plant root effects on soil detachment rate[J]. Catena, 2022, 212: 106109.
LiYongzhi, WangShiming, ZouJianwen, et al. Correlation research between shear strength and moisture content of swelling mudstone[J]. Science Technology and Engineering, 2021, 21(7): 2857-2864.
[40]
李佳燊. “PAM-膨润土-电场”耦合作用下的土壤水运动[D]. 重庆: 西南大学, 2022.
[41]
LiJiashen. Soil water movement under “PAM-bentonite-electric field” coupling effect[D]. Chongqing: Southwest University, 2022.
GuoYueting, LiZhihong, LiuAirong, et al. Mechanism and experimental study of surface hydrophobic modification promoting settle ment of coal measure clay minerals[J]. Coal Conversion, 2023, 46(3): 100-107.
LiZhenyu, OuyangMiao, XiaoHongbin, et al. Improvement of slope soil consolidation capacity of plant root system based on regulation of root architecture[J], Rock and Soil Mechanics, 2021, 42 (12): 3271-3280, 3290.
[46]
ZhangS, XiongD H, WuH, et al. Effects of the root morphological characteristics of different herbaceous species on soil shear strength and soil anti-scourability in the dry-hot valley region of south-western China[J]. Soil Research, 2020, 58(2): 189-189.
LiuJianping, ZhouHuayu, HeTiankui, et al. Experimental study on the influence of root content on the shear strength of root-soil-rock composite: taking Malus halliana Koehne as an example[J]. Chinese Journal of Rock Mechanics and Engineering, 2023, 42(S1): 3618-3628.
LuoPizhao, WangYuqi, LiTong, et al. Effect of soil moisture content on strength characteristics of root-soil complex based on triaxial UU test[J]. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 2023, 37(6): 153-160.
LuoXiaoqian, KongLingwei, YanJunbiao, et al. In-situ borehole shear test and shear strength response characteristics of expansive soil under different saturations[J]. Rock and Soil Mechanics, 2024, 45(1): 153-163.
[53]
马俊宏. 宁明地区格构梁防护膨胀土边坡稳定性分析[D]. 成都: 西南交通大学, 2022.
[54]
MaJunhong. Stability analysis of expansive soil slopes protected by lattice beam in Ningming Area[D]. Chengdu: Southwest Jiaotong University, 2022.
[55]
YildizA. Assessment of plant-induced suction and its effects on the shear strength of rooted soils[J]. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers-Geotechnical Engineering, 2019, 172(6): 507-519.
ShaoShengjun, TaoHu, XuPing. Discussion on research of mechanical characteristics of loess considering structural behavior and its application[J]. Rock and Soil Mechanics, 2011, 32(S2): 42-50.
[58]
AmiriE, EmamiH, MosaddeghiR M, et al. Shear strength of an unsaturated loam soil as affected by vetiver and polyacrylamide[J]. Soil Tillage Research, 2019, 194: 104331.
ZhanLiangtong, WuHongwei. Effect of suction on shear strength and dilatancy of an unsaturated expansive clay[J]. Chinese Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, 2007(1): 82-87.