Abstract

Lately, the use of the vetiver system in bioengineering has been evidenced, it is use to stabilize slopes and control erosion. Despite the qualities of the root system of vetiver grass, there is still empiricism in the design and implementation, because its mechanical contribution is not perfectly understood. Therefore, it is proposed to determine the increase in resistance to shear stress in poorly graded sands derived from the planting of vetiver grass. The methodology involves performing direct shear tests in the laboratory. For this, in the first instance, a controlled seeding is carried out in containers that minimize the alteration of the sample; from the fourth week, the control and vetiver-soil samples are tested. The results indicate that mechanical parameters increase as root density increases, soil cohesion increases from 460% to 780% and the friction angle, from 4,78% to 12,25%