24Reed fibers as reinforcement for dune sandT.O.AL-REFEAI King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Sand reinforced with discrete, randomly oriented fibers may be considered as a composite material in which short fibers of relatively high tensile strength are embedded in a matrix of lower tensile strength. The presence of the fibers will disrupt the uniform pattern of strain which would otherwise develop in unreinforced sand. This strain interference results in a more complex and less efficient deformation mechanism in the sand (Jewell, 1980), and ultimately leads to improved stiffness and shear strength.