Model studies on woven coir geotextile-reinforced sand bed

This note pertains to an experimental study made on model square footings underlain by woven coir geotextile-reinforced sand. About three-fold improvement in strength was obtained with the use of even a single layer of reinforcement, which suggests that woven coir geotextile is an appropriate material for subsoil improvement. A comparison of the results with those reported in the literature indicates that reinforced soil behaviour and the resulting strength improvement are unique for each reinforcement type and configuration. An equation that would help in obtaining strength improvement of footings on woven coir geotextile-reinforced sand is also presented. If the durability of the coir is increased, woven coir geotextiles would become a preferred material for soil reinforcement in a few countries where coir is abundantly available at practically no cost.