KMITL

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://dspace.kmitl.ac.th/handle/123456789/1

Browse

Settings

Access type: UnknownAuthor: search.filters.author.Gunawan, Hendra

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Loading...
    Thumbnail Image
    Some of the metrics are blocked by your 
    consent settings
    Item type:Publication,
    Effectiveness of elephant grass roots in improving soil shear strength for slope reinforcement
    (2025-09-01)
    Munirwan, Reza Pahlevi
    ;
    Milasafarah, Syarifah
    ;
    Sungkar, Munira
    ;
    Gunawan, Hendra
    ;
    Jaya, Ramadhansyah Putra
    Slope instability and landslides remain major geotechnical concerns in tropical regions, where intense rainfall, high humidity, and extensive human activities such as deforestation and poor land management accelerate erosion and ground failure. As a sustainable alternative to conventional engineering solutions, vegetation-based methods have gained increasing attention, particularly for their ability to reinforce soil through root systems. This study investigates the potential of elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum) roots to enhance the shear strength of tropical soils for slope stabilization. Soil samples categorized as silty sand, clayey sand, and clay were collected and subjected to laboratory testing. Roots were added at varying proportions (0.1 %, 0.3 %, and 0.5 %) and lengths (2 cm and 3 cm), and samples were tested using direct shear tests to determine their mechanical behavior. Root tensile strength was also evaluated to assess its contribution to soil reinforcement. Additionally, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to examine the microstructural interactions between roots and soil particles. The results revealed significant improvements in cohesion and internal friction angles, with optimal reinforcement observed at 0.3 % root content and 3 cm root length, especially in clay (cohesion = 0.61 kg/cm<sup>2</sup>, friction angle = 12.56°) and clayey sand (cohesion = 0.76 kg/cm<sup>2</sup>, friction angle = 13.29°). SEM analysis confirmed effective physical bonding and interlocking between roots and soil matrices. These findings show that elephant grass roots are an effective, eco-friendly solution for stabilizing landslide-prone soils, supporting bioengineering research and guiding future field validation and long-term performance studies.
  • Loading...
    Thumbnail Image
    Some of the metrics are blocked by your 
    consent settings
    Item type:Publication,
    A review of herbaceous vegetation effect on mechanical properties of soil for enhancing slope stability
    (2024-01-01)
    Yuliana, Yuliana
    ;
    Kamchoom, Viroon
    ;
    Munirwan, Reza Pahlevi
    ;
    Gunawan, Hendra
    Slope instability is a critical issue that threatens infrastructure, human settlements, and the environment, with conventional stabilization methods often causing signiFficant environmental disruption and incurring high costs. This study aims to explore the potential of native Southeast Asian plants, especially lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus), vetiver grass (Chrysopogon zizanioides), elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum), and alang-alang grass (Imperata cylindrica) to improve soil quality and prevent slope stability. The analysis focuses on their physical and mechanical properties to identify trends and advantages for slope reinforcement and sustainable ecological restoration in Southeast Asia. The Ffindings highlight that lemongrass and vetiver grass demonstrate promising improvements in slope stability parameters, including friction angle, cohesion, and shear strength, making them highly effective for erosion control. Lemongrass shows the most pronounced beneFfits, while vetiver grass also provides substantial stabilization. In contrast, elephant grass and alang-alang grass offer less improvement in these parameters. The study suggests that future research should explore the hydraulic behavior of these species to better understand their effects on water inFfiltration, runoff, and soil moisture dynamics, which are crucial for comprehensive slope stability analysis.