Shored Mechanically Stabilized Earth (SMSE) Wall Systems Design Guidelines

As a Federal Highway Administration design reference for highway projects, this report was prepared to enable the engineer to identify and evaluate potential applications of shored mechanically stabilized earth (SMSE) walls. Included in this design guideline are a literature review on similar construction and the results and interpretation of field-scale testing, centrifuge modeling, and numerical modeling of an SMSE wall system. Results of the centrifuge modeling and field-scale testing show that reduction of the reinforcement length to as little as 25 percent of the wall height (0.25H) provides sufficient wall stability, even under a considerably high degree of surcharge loading. Using the results of the modeling and field testing research, this design guideline recommends a minimum reinforcement length equivalent to as little as 30 percent of the wall height (0.3H) for the MSE wall component, provided that the MSE reinforcement length is greater than 1.5 m. The benefit of attaching reinforcement to the shoring wall is found to be small and is generally not recommended except by way of the upper two layers of reinforcement. If possible, these layers of reinforcement should overlap the shoring wall and have a total length of 0.6H. If this is not possible, then these layers should be attached to the shoring wall. Internal design requirements of the MSE wall component for an SMSE wall system differ from that of a traditional MSE wall. Equations presented in this design guideline have been developed specifically to address these requirements. The benefits of increased retaining abilities provided by the shoring wall, such as reduction in lateral load acting on the MSE wall component and contribution to global stability, are considered in the design process.

• Record URL:
  http://www.geotechnicaldirectory.com/publications/MSE-Wall/MSE-Wall-Design-Manual.pdf
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  Golder Associates Incorporated

  44 Union Boulevard, Suite 300
  Lakewood, CO  United States  80228

  Collin Group, Limited

  7445 Arlington Road
  Bethesda, MD  United States  20814

  Yeh and Associates, Incorporated

  5700 E Evans Avenue
  Denver, CO  United States  80222

  Federal Highway Administration

  Central Federal Lands Highway Division, 12300 West Dakota Avenue
  Lakewood, CO  United States  80228
• Authors:
  • Morrison, Kimberly Finke
  • Harrison, Francis E
  • Collin, James G
  • Dodds, Andrew M
  • Arndt, Ben
• Publication Date: 2006-2

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Glossary; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 230p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Centrifuges; Design; Earth walls; Equations; Field tests; Guidelines; Length; Literature reviews; Material reinforcement; Mathematical models; Mechanically stabilized earth; Retaining walls; Shoring
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Highways; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01109935
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA-CFL/TD-06-001
• Contract Numbers: DTFH68-02-R-00001
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Aug 29 2008 3:53PM