Limit Loads on Reinforced Foundation Soils
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 130, Issue 4
Abstract
Reinforced soil is a practical solution to construction of unpaved roads or placement of footings over weak soils. A stability analysis of reinforced foundation soil is presented in this paper. A method is suggested for calculating limit loads on strip footings over foundation soils reinforced with horizontal layers of geosynthetics. Separate solutions are given for a case where reinforcement layers slip within the soil, and for a case where reinforcement ruptures. In the former case, an increase in the bearing capacity is dependent on the characteristics of the soil-reinforcement interface, whereas in the latter case it depends on the strength of the reinforcement. In both cases the increase in the limit load is dependent on the internal friction angle of the soil. Expressions are developed for quantitative predictions of bearing capacity of the foundation soil with horizontal layers of reinforcement. An optimum reinforcement depth is also given.
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Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 130 • Issue 4 • April 2004
Pages: 381 - 390
Copyright
Copyright © 2004 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jan 31, 2003
Accepted: Jul 14, 2003
Published online: Mar 15, 2004
Published in print: Apr 2004
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