Energy-Dissipating Ability of a Three Dimensional Soil-Fibre Composite

The paper proposes a dimensionless parameter EDI (energy-dissipating index), readily obtained from conventional triaxial test, that is able to precisely recognize the energy-dissipa­ting ability of soils. Taking into account stress and strain states, it provides an appropriate indicator for predicting the geotechnical damping performance of textile reinforced soil under dynamic loadings. An experimental approach, using infrared vibrothermography, has evidenced the energetic dissipation of Texsol caused by local friction between solid grains. The infrared ther­mographic technique, which couples mechanical and thermal energy, offers the potential of direct­ly monitoring the stress state of particle rearrangement and predicting the geotechnical response of fibre reinforced soils.