Model Tests Investigating Spatial Tensile Behavior of Simulated Geosynthetic Reinforcement Material over Rigid Supports

Abstract

A special device was designed, manufactured, and used to create a three-dimensional (3D) layout of rigid supports to investigate the spatial tensile behavior of the geosynthetic reinforcement material over rigid supports. A polyester (PET) sheet was used to simulate the geosynthetic reinforcement material. The results from the model tests using this device were used to evaluate the spatial distribution of tension and the deformed shape of the simulated geosynthetic reinforcement material. A couple of analytical solutions currently available in the literature were selected for the comparison of the calculated tension and deflections with the measured data. This study found that the maximum tensile force in the simulated geosynthetic reinforcement material occurred at the corners of rigid supports, followed by that at the edges of rigid supports. The tensile forces along the simulated geosynthetic reinforcement material were nearly uniform in the central area and increased toward the rigid supports. The test results showed that the three-dimensional deformation pattern of the simulated geosynthetic reinforcement material should not be ignored. A second-order power law formula predicted the deformed shape of the simulated geosynthetic reinforcement material satisfactorily for practical applications. The strain compatibility methods gave good prediction of the maximum tensile force and vertical deflection of the simulated geosynthetic reinforcement material between two adjacent piles. Further research is needed to improve analytical methods by considering the 3D nature of deformation and the spatial distribution of tension in the reinforcement.