Review of shear test investigation on plant roots-reinforced soil

Vegetation slope-protect technology is an effective method of eco-environmental protection and side slope treatment,which makes it possible to be widely used in engineering practice.With the research results of slope vegetation technology lagging behind the engineering application,a comprehensive review of the domestic and foreign shear test results of plant roots-reinforced soil was provided in this paper.According to the different soil samples,the test methods were divided into four types: the undisturbed roots-reinforced soil direct shear test,the undisturbed roots-reinforced soil triaxial shear test,the disturbed roots-reinforced soil triaxial shear test and the disturbed roots-reinforced soil direct shear test.These four types of test methods and their working conditions were introduced.The reinforcing effects of the root system upon soil shear strength and the changing regularities of roots-reinforced soil strength under composite working conditions were summarized and analyzed respectively.The achievements indicate the existing problems and directions for future research,which are expected to offer references for the follow-up shear tests of plant roots-reinforced soil.