PERFORMANCE OF A REINFORCED-SOIL EMBANKMENT

A test embankment reinforced with geotextile layers was built over a sludge deposit as part of the design for Project FRA-670/315-1.25/0.00. An extensive program of in-situ measurements was carried out by STS Consultants and the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) to obtain information needed for design. These measurements provided performance data that include strains in the reinforcement at various stages of construction and at safety factors (F) between 1.4 and 1.8. The maximum measured strain in the geotextile is approximately 3% after stage 1 construction. The finite element method (FEM) was used to predict the performance and the results were compared with the results of measurements. The FEM was used to study the influence of embankment size and different types of foundation and embankment soils on the strain in the reinforcement. For reinforced-soil embankments on compressible soils, we found that, at impending failure in the foundation soil under initial loading, the reinforcement strain is between 3 and 5%, depending on the stiffness of the embankment soil. The strains are attained at a degree of consolidation of 60%. The reinforcements should be placed between 0-1 m above the base of the embankment. For reinforced-soil embankments on firm soils, the failure surface lies within the embankment. Published experimental data show that for flexible reinforcements, the failure strain may be taken as 3-5%, as for embankments on compressible soils. For reinforcements with bending stiffness, the soil and reinforcement fail as a system. Equations are provided to calculate the tension and shear in the reinforcement at failure of the soil-reinforcement system. The shear in the reinforcement may contribute a substantial amount to the resistance and may be up to 20% of the tension for polypropylene geogrids and greater for wire-mesh grids.

  • Corporate Authors:

    Ohio State University, Columbus

    Department of Civil Engineering
    Hitchcock Hall 470
    Columbus, OH  United States  43210

    Ohio Department of Transportation

    25 South Front Street
    Columbus, OH  United States  43215

    Federal Highway Administration

    1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
    Washington, DC  United States  20590
  • Authors:
    • Wu, T H
  • Publication Date: 1996-2-1

Language

  • English

Media Info

  • Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
  • Pagination: 107 p.

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00725544
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA/OH-96/002, Final Report
  • Contract Numbers: State Job 14487(0)
  • Files: TRIS, ATRI, USDOT, STATEDOT
  • Created Date: Sep 10 1996 12:00AM