Finite-Element Simulations of Full-Scale Modular-Block Reinforced Soil Retaining Walls under Earthquake Loading
Publication: Journal of Engineering Mechanics
Volume 136, Issue 5
Abstract
A finite-element procedure was used to simulate the dynamic behavior of four full-scale reinforced soil retaining walls subjected to earthquake loading. The experiments were conducted at a maximum horizontal acceleration of over 0.8 g, with two walls subjected to only horizontal accelerations and two other walls under simultaneous horizontal and vertical accelerations. The analyzes were conducted using advanced soil and geosynthetic models that were capable of simulating behavior under both monotonic and cyclic loadings. The soil behavior was modeled using a unified general plasticity model, which was developed based on the critical state concept and that considered the stress level effects over a wide range of densities using a single set of parameters. The geosynthetic model was based on the bounding surface concept and it considered the S-shape load-strain behavior of polymeric geogrids. In this paper, the calibrations of the models and details of finite-element analysis are presented. The time response of horizontal and vertical accelerations obtained from the analyses, as well as wall deformations and tensile force in geogrids, were compared with the experimental results. The comparisons showed that the finite-element results rendered satisfactory agreement with the shake table test results.
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Acknowledgments
This study was supported by the National Science Foundation under Career Award No. NSFCMS-0092739 granted to the first writer. The experimental study was also funded by the National Institute of Rural Engineering (Japan), Allan Block Corporation (U.S.), and Huesker Synthetic GmbH (Germany) over a period of several years.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Engineering Mechanics
Volume 136 • Issue 5 • May 2010
Pages: 653 - 661
Copyright
© 2010 ASCE.
History
Received: Oct 6, 2008
Accepted: Oct 23, 2009
Published online: Apr 15, 2010
Published in print: May 2010
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