Abstract The reduction in factor of safety (FOS) of any slope is due to a reduction in total stress. To increase the strength of the soil slope, commonly adopted techniques lead to environmental impact. To overcome this situation, an inert material like Polyurethane (PU) can be mixed in the soil medium to increase the stability of the slope. The present study aims to use PU to stabilise the topsoil of the slope, which effectively increases the FOS. Direct shear tests were performed to understand changes in the shear strength parameters with the addition of various percentages of PU. FOS of slope is understood using Plaxis-2D. Results of the Direct shear tests showed the improvement of cohesion from 15 kPa of virgin soil to around 138 kPa and angle of shearing resistance from 17° to around 58° with the addition of 10 % PU to the soil, with just 7 h of curing. Plaxis-2D analysis indicates the increase in FOS by 22 % with stabilisation of topsoil up to 0.3 m. The study recommends the use of PU to stabilise embankments, as it provides a rapid increase in strength and quick enhancement of slope stability.
Bijivemula et al. (Thu,) studied this question.