Simulating Performance of GRS-RW by Finite-Element Procedure

Abstract

This paper outlines the finite-element (FE) procedure for simulating the performance of geosynthetic-reinforced soil retaining walls (GRS-RWs). Analyses were performed using a modified version of CANDE code, in which the material properties of the wall (backfill, foundation, geosynthetic, and wall face) were expressed using nonlinear elastic models. The analytical procedure was validated against the loading test results of a full-scale model comprising silty clay backfill soil and a permeable geotextile. A series of parametric studies was conducted to identify the effects of the geosynthetic length and the facing and geosynthetic stiffness on the performance. The layout of geosynthetic layers affects greatly the performance according to the point of the load application. Increased wall facing and geosynthetic stiffness improve the performance by restraining the lateral deformations. Deformation limits at the service conditions can be suggested as an alternative criterion for designing important GRS-RW with the aid of the FE procedure.