A series of laboratory model tests has been carried out to investigate the using of pomegranate sticks mat as reinforcement to increase the bearing capacity of footing on loose sand. The influence of depth and length of pomegranate sticks layer was examined. In the present research single layer of pomegranate sticks reinforcement was used to strengthen the loose sand stratum beneath the strip footing. The dimensions of the used foundation were 4*20 cm. The reinforcement layer has been embedded at depth 2, 4 and 8 cm under surcharge stresses . Reinforcing layer with length of 8 and 16 cm were used. The final model test results indicated that the inclusion of pomegranate sticks reinforcement is very effective in improvement the loading capacity of loose sand. The optimal
benefit in bearing capacity value was realized as the (D/B) ratio (embedded depth to footing width) equal to 0.5.The bearing capacity of a reinforced soil with single layer of pomegranate sticks at (D/B) ratio of o.5 increased by about 4 times (corresponding to S/B =10%) than that for the unreinforced case and continuous in increasing beyond that with no failure. The improvement in bearing capacity decreased with increasing depth of embedment of reinforcement layer until reach to a specified point in which the bearing capacity of a reinforced soil approximately identical with the case of no reinforcement. Also it was found that increase the length of pomegranate sticks layer has no beneficial effect on the improved the bearing capacity of loose sand.
