Effect of Polymeric Nanocomposite on Sandy Soil Sta-Bilization

Abstract

Abstract
Soil erosion is a threat to the inhabitant of arid and semiarid regions Soil and sand dune stabilizationusing different materials and methods is one of the main challenges of land degradation management in this area. This study assessed the possibility of using polymeric nanocomposite (acrylic acid co-acrylamide) assisted by nanofiber as mulch on the properties of sand dunes, which were polymerized by free radicals. One liter of the polymeric nanocomposite was sprayed on sample metal trays at 1wt. %, 3 wt%, and 5 wt% levels and cured for 30 days to investigate their effects on sand properties.
The polymeric nanocomposite was also sprayed in one layer on some trays and two layers on other trays to compare the impact of spraying frequency. The research used a completely randomized design, with each experiment conducted three times. The effects of mulches on the treatment characteristics were examined via a wind tunnel, compressive and shear resistance, and crust thickness tests. The wind tunnel results showed the erosion rate after adding the polymeric nanocomposite was 0 g/h 0.3 m2 at a wind velocity of 15 m/s. Furthermore, the mechanical strength of the treated samples after 30 days revealed that the 3 wt% polymeric nanocomposite improved the erodibility of treatments substantially more than the 1 wt% and 5 wt%. Accordingly, a polymeric nanocomposite of 3 wt% applied in two layers increased the compressive resistance, shear resistance, and crust thickness by 2.4, 1.94, and 16.93 times, respectively, compared to the control samples. The result improved the understanding of the effectiveness of polymeric nanocomposite in soil erosion control and is recommended to stabilize sand dunes.