FEM Simulation of Deformation and Strength Characteristics in Geogrid-Reinforced Sand Retaining Wall under the Change of Loading Rate

It is often important in geotechnical engineering practice and research to evaluate accurately the time effect on the deformation and strength characteristics of geogrid-reinforced sand retaining wall. Loading rate effect is one of the most important time-dependent behaviors of material, which is an inherent response of the viscous property of material. Based on the Dynamic Relaxation method, the nonlinear finite element method (FEM) analysis technique was developed. In the numerical analysis, both the viscous properties of the backfill (sand) and the reinforcement (geogrid) were taken into account through the unified non-linear three-component elastic-viscoplastic model. The presented FEM is validated by simulating a physical model test on geogrid-reinforced sand retaining wall. It is shown that the aforementioned FEM can well simulate the deformation and strength behaviors of geogrid-reinforced sand retaining wall under the change of loading rate, such as the overall footing pressure - settlement relationship and the earth pressure.