Characteristics of electro-osmosis consolidation and resistivity evolution in soft clay reinforced with recycled carbon fibers

• Published in: Geotextiles and geomembranes Vol. 53; no. 1; pp. 96 - 105
• Main Authors: Chen, Guanyu, Zheng, Lingwei, Zhang, Xunli, Wu, Guoqiang, Feng, Cheng, Zheng, Xudong, Xie, Xinyu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2025
• Subjects: Electro-osmosis consolidation; Fiber length; Mixing ratio; Recycled carbon fibers; Resistivity; Tunneling transmission; Fiber length; Tunneling transmission; Mixing ratio; Resistivity; Recycled carbon fibers; Electro-osmosis consolidation
• ISSN: 0266-1144
• DOI: 10.1016/j.geotexmem.2024.09.006

This study repurposed discarded carbon fiber fabric by mechanically cutting it into short-cut carbon fibers and utilized these fibers in electro-osmosis experiments with varying lengths (5 mm, 10 mm, and 15 mm) and mixing ratios (0.05%, 0.10%, and 0.25%). The results indicated that increasing the length and mixing ratio of recycled carbon fibers effectively reduced the soil resistivity. Furthermore, incorporating an appropriate amount of carbon fibers not only reduced the energy consumption coefficient but also enhanced the electro-osmotic drainage performance. Increasing the length and mixing ratio of carbon fiber also improved the vane shear strength after electro-osmosis consolidation. To promote the application of carbon fiber in electro-osmosis consolidation and to provide support for the development of electro-osmosis consolidation theory and numerical analysis, a resistivity calculation model of carbon fiber-reinforced soil during the electro-osmosis process was developed based on the Ohm's Law and tunneling transmission theory. The model elucidates that during the electro-osmosis process, soil resistivity is influenced by the increase in barrier thickness, which consequently raises the tunneling transmission resistance. •The effects of carbon fiber length and mixing ratio on the soil resistivity were investigated.•A carbon fiber mixing ratio of 0.1% was suggested to enhance both electro-osmotic drainage efficiency and soil strength.•A resistivity calculation model for carbon fiber-reinforced soil, based on tunneling transmission theory, was developed.