GEOSYNTHETIC-REINFORCED SOIL WALLS

An extensive literature review was conducted to collect and synthesize information on geosynthetic-reinforced soil (GRS) walls that had been monitored for extended periods of time for assessment of their long-term performance characteristics. As a result, seven GRS retaining wall projects were selected. These projects typically had well-documented, long-term reinforcement strain data, wall deformation data, and design information. The walls range from 4.5 m to over 12 m in height and typically include surcharge loads composed of earth fills or traffic loads. Reinforcement materials were polypropylene and polyester geogrids or geotextiles, ranging in short-term strength from 5.8 kN/m to more than 17 kN/m. The facings used on the walls were concrete modular blocks, concrete panels, or wrapped geotextile surfaces. Some of the walls were constructed on poor foundations, whereas others were constructed on competent foundation materials. The environmental conditions vary from freezing temperatures in Ontario, Canada, to temperatures up to 44 deg C for walls built in the state of Arizona. The measured performance data for the seven GRS walls were evaluated in detail. The results indicate that creep deformation was very small when well-compacted granular backfill was employed and that current design methods are overly conservative regarding long-term creep of geosynthetic reinforcement in the GRS walls. A rational procedure for predicting long-term creep deformation of GRS walls is proposed that involves conducting a soil-geosynthetic interactive performance test with on-site soil and the use of a long-term creep equation developed on the basis of the behavior of the seven GRS walls.

• Record URL:
  https://doi.org/10.3141/1849-07
• Summary URL:
  http://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=GEOSYNTHETIC-REINFORCED+SOIL+WALLS&author=P.+Crouse&author=J.+Wu&publication_year=2003
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://www.trb.org/Main/Public/Blurbs/153508.aspx
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper appears in Transportation Research Record No. 1849, Soil Mechanics 2003.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Crouse, P E
  • Wu, JTH
• Publication Date: 2003

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 53-58
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 1849
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Creep; Deformation; Equations; Geogrids; Geosynthetics; Geotextiles; Literature reviews; Mathematical prediction; Mechanically stabilized earth; Performance; Polyester resins; Polypropylene; Retaining walls; Strength of materials; Temperature; Trench backfill
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Geotechnology; Highways; I42: Soil Mechanics;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00965606
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309085845
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Nov 20 2003 12:00AM