Tadesse, Samuel (Dr)Goshime, Addishiwot(Dr)2018-06-112023-11-112018-06-112023-11-112015-10http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/12345678/272Now-a-days, the high cost and lack of reinforcing steel in many parts of the world has directed to increasing interest in the possible use of other locally accessible materials for the construction. For this reason the main objective of this research is to undertake the use of bamboo as temporary soil reinforcement which is inexpensive and local available material in Ethiopia. For the thesis study Shimal bamboo (Oxytenanthera abyssinica) was used as reinforcement. This bamboo is found in Benishangul–Gumuz Regional State and it is covered the area of 440, 000 hectares. The primary purpose of reinforcing the soil is to improve stability, to increase modulus of rigidity and to increase the strength of lateritic soil which is found in Assosa region. The tests were carried out to find the use of bamboo as temporary soil reinforcement material. Accordingly ASTM, several laboratory tests were conducted. Atterberg limits (PI, LL, and PL), washed sieve analysis, hydrometer analysis and specific gravity on the air dried soil; standard compaction tests and unconfined compression tests on the molded soil –bamboo sample were conducted. The soil specimens were molded in cylindrical form of 38mm diameter and 76mm height while the bamboo specimens were trimmed in to square plates of 24mm size and 3mm thickness. The trial soil specimens are: soil specimen without bamboo specimen (0 bamboo), soil specimen with one bamboo specimen in the center (1 bamboo), soil specimen with one bamboo specimen on top and one at the bottom (2 bamboos) and soil specimen with one bamboo specimen on top, center and bottom (3 bamboos). A lateritic soil classified as A-7-5 under AASHTO soil classification system was reinforced with 0, 1, 2 and 3 bamboo specimens at laboratory trial level to evaluate its unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and modulus of rigidity. From the bamboo laboratory test result, the dry density of the molded soil specimen decreased from 1.41g/cm3 at 0 bamboo specimen to 1.35g/cm3 at 3 bamboo specimens, the UCS Bamboo as Temporary Soil Reinforcement 2015 AAU/AAiT School of Civil & Environmental Engineering/Geotechnical Engineering Page iii increased from 278.96kN/m2 at 0 bamboo specimen to 381.71kN/m2 at 3 bamboo specimens. Also, for each of the four percentage strains (0.01, 0.02, 0.03 and 0.04%) considered, the modulus of rigidity increased with bamboo specimens. Key Words: - Bamboo; Modulus of rigidity; Optimum moisture content; FrictionenBamboo; Modulus of rigidity; Optimum moisture content; FrictionThesis