Effect of discrete fibre reinforcement on soil tensile strength

The tensile behaviour of soil plays a significantly important role in various engineering applications. Compacted soils used in geotechnical constructions such as dams and clayey liners in waste containment facilities can suffer from cracking due to tensile failure. In order to increase soil tensile strength, discrete fibre reinforcement technique was proposed. An innovative tensile apparatus was developed to deter- mine the tensile strength characteristics of fibre reinforced soil. The effects of fibre content, dry density and water content on the tensile strength were studied. The results indicate that the developed test apparatus was applicable in determining tensile strength of soils. Fibre inclusion can significantly in- crease soil tensile strength and soil tensile failure ductility. The tensile strength basically increases with increasing fibre content. As the fibre content increases from 0% to 0.2%, the tensile strength increases by 65.7%. The tensile strength of fibre reinforced soil increases with increasing dry density and decreases with decreasing water content. For instance, the tensile strength at a dry density of 1.7 Mg/m^3 is 2.8 times higher than that at 1.4 Mg/m^3. It decreases by 30% as the water content increases from 14.5% to 20.5%. Furthermore, it is observed that the tensile strength of fibre reinforced soil is dominated by fibre pull-out resistance, depending on the interracial mechanical interaction between fibre surface and soil matrix.

Combining Ability and Heterosis Between High Strength Lines and Transgenic Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) Bollworm-Resistant Lines in Upland Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

To analyse the combining ability and heterosis between high-strength lines and transgenic Bt bollworm-resistant lines in upland cotton, 5 high-strength lines were crossed as female lines with 12 transgenic Bt bollworm-resistant lines according to NCII design. It was demonstrated that the compositions of variance in various traits were quite different. For seed cotton yield, lint yield, boll numbers per plant and boll weight, the dominant (special combining ability) effects were the major effects, accounting for 87.38, 84. 40, 80. 04 and 64. 46% of the total phenotypic variances, respectively, while for fibre strength and micronaire value, the additive (general combining ability) effects had the major effects, with a ratio of additive variance to phenotypic variance of 78.85 and 43.80%. As for lint percent and 2.5% span length, the dominant and additive variances had similar effects, in phenotypic variances (54.94 and 40.11% for lint percent, 45.76 and 42.49% for 2. 5% span length, respectively). The mid-parent heterosis (Hpm), surpassing parent heterosis (Hpb) and competitive heterosis (Hck) for seed cotton yield and lint yield were both extremely significant. For fibre properties, the Hck and Hpm of 2.5 % fibre span length were extremely significant, the Hck of fibre strength was significant, and the favorable negative Hck of micronaire was also extremely significant. The increments of hybrid over common variety were 17% for lint yield and fibre strength, 7% for fibre span length, and 4 % for fineness.