Geogrid Stabilization of Aggregates Evaluated via Local Stiffness Assessment
Publication: Airfield and Highway Pavements 2021
ABSTRACT
Mechanical stabilization of unbound aggregate layers involves creating a geogrid-aggregate stiffened zone with higher confinement. This paper presents findings from a laboratory study with the objective to quantify stiffness increases in geogrid-stabilized aggregate systems. A bender element (BE) field sensor was utilized to evaluate the local stiffness of unbound aggregates in the vicinity of an installed geogrid. A dense-graded crushed stone aggregate material was compacted in a large-scale laboratory testbed over a soft but uniform support, with and without a geogrid placed at the bottom of the aggregate layer. Static surcharge loading providing different confinement levels was applied to all tests including geogrid stabilization and control section. The BE field sensor measured shear wave velocities were then used to estimate the local stiffness and the extent of the stiffened zone at three different locations above the geogrid. Two punched and drawn geogrids with different aperture sizes were evaluated under the static surcharge loading scenarios. The small strain moduli and the extents of the stiffened zones on top of the two geogrids with different aperture sizes were quantified. The extents of the stiffened zone generated by geogrid stabilization were between 15.2 cm (6 in.) and 25.4 cm (10 in.) above the geogrid, and geogrid with a smaller aperture size was a better match and therefore more effective for the dense-graded aggregate material. The effectiveness of geogrid stabilization depends on the level of confinement of the aggregate layer, geogrid aperture size, and gravel to sand ratio, which was also observed from the stiffened zone characteristics from repeated load triaxial tests in a previous study.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this chapter.
REFERENCES
Byun, Y. H., and Tutumluer, E. (2017). “Bender Elements Successfully Quantified Stiffness Enhancement Provided by Geogrid–Aggregate Interlock.” Transp. Res. Rec. 2656, 31–39.
Chen, C., McDowell, G. R., and Thom, N. H. (2014). “Investigating Geogrid-Reinforced Ballast: Experimental Pull-Out Tests and Discrete Element Modeling.” Soils Found. 54 (1), 1–11.
Chen, Q., Hanandeh, S., Abu-Farsakh, M., and Mohammad, L. (2018). Performance evaluation of full-scale geosynthetic reinforced flexible pavement. Geosynthetics International, 25(1), 26-36.
Clayton, C. R. I. Stiffness at small strain: research and practice. Géotechnique, 2011. 61(1): 5-37.
Norwood, Gregory J. Cyclic Plate Testing of Reinforced Airport Pavements-Phase I: Geogrid., Federal Aviation Administration William J. Hughes Technical Center Aviation Research Division, Atlantic City International Airport, NJ., 2019.
Kang, M., Kim, J. H., Qamhia, I. I. A., Tutumluer, E., and Wayne, M. H.: Geogrid Stabilization of Unbound Aggregates Evaluated Through Bender Element Shear Wave Measurement in Repeated Load Triaxial Testing. Transportation Research Record, 2020. 2674(3): 113-125.
Konietzky, H., te Kamp, L., Gröger, T., and Jenner, C. (2004). Use of DEM to Model the Interlocking Effect of Geogrids under Static and Cyclic Loading. In: Shimizu, Y., Hart, R., Cundall, P. (Eds.), Numerical Modeling in Micromechanics via Particle Methods. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, pp. 3–12.
Kwon, J. and Tutumluer, E. (2009). “Geogrid Base Reinforcement with Aggregate Interlock and Modeling of Associated Stiffness Enhancement in Mechanistic Pavement Analysis.” Transp. Res. Rec. 2116, 85–95.
Lee, J. S., and Santamarina, J. C. Bender Elements: Performance and Signal Interpretation. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 2005. 131(9):1063–1070.
McDowell, G. R., Harireche, O., Konietzky, H., Brown, S. F., and Thom, N.H. (2006). “Discrete Element Modeling of Geogrid-Reinforced Aggregates.” Proc. Inst. Civ. Eng. Geotech. Eng. 159 (1), 35–48.
Moraci, N., and Recalcati, P. (2006). “Factors Affecting the Pullout Behavior Of Extruded Geogrids Embedded in a Compacted Granular Soil.” Geotextiles and Geomembranes, 24(4), pp.220-242.
NCHRP 1-37A. Guide for Mechanistic–Empirical Design of New and Rehabilitated Pavement Structures. NCHRP, ARA Inc., and ERES Consultants Division, Washington, D.C., March 2004.
Pastor, M., Zienkiewicz, O. C., and Chan, A. H. C. (1990). Generalized plasticity and the modelling of soil behaviour. International Journal for Numerical and Analytical Methods in Geomechanics, 14(3), 151-190.
Peng, X., and Zornberg, J. G. (2017). “Evaluation of Load Transfer in Geogrids for Base Stabilization Using Transparent Soil.” Procedia engineering, 189, pp.307-314.
Qian, Y., Tutumluer, E., Mishra, D., and Kazmee, H. (2015). “Geogrid-Aggregate Interlocking Mechanism Investigated via Discrete Element Modeling,” Geosynthetics 2015, February 15-18, 2015, Portland, Oregon.
Santamarina, J. C., Klein, K. A., and Fam, M. A. Soils and Waves - Particulate Materials Behavior, Characterization and Process Monitoring. Wiley, New York. 2001.
Siabil, S. G., Tafreshi, S. M., and Dawson, A. R. (2020). Response of pavement foundations incorporating both geocells and expanded polystyrene (EPS) geofoam. Geotextiles and Geomembranes, 48(1), 1-23.
Sugimoto, M., and Alagiyawanna, A. M. N. (2003). “Pullout Behavior of Geogrid by Test and Numerical Analysis.” Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 129(4), pp.361-371.
Tingle, J. S., and Jersey, S. R. (2009). Full-scale evaluation of geosynthetic-reinforced aggregate roads. Transportation research record, 2116(1), 96-107.
Tutumluer, E, Huang, H., and Bian, X. (2009). “Research on the Behavior of Geogrids in Stabilization Applications,” In Proceedings of the Jubilee Symposium on Polymer Geogrid Reinforcement, September 8, 2009, London, UK, (http://www.tensar.co.uk/jubilee-symposium/index.html).
Webster, S. L. Geogrid reinforced base courses for flexible pavements for light aircraft: Test section construction, behavior under traffic, laboratory tests, and design criteria. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg. Miss., 1993.
Barker, W. R. Open-Graded Bases for Airfield Pavements. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg. Miss., 1987.
Xiao, Y., Tutumluer, E., Qian, Y., and Siekmeier, J. Gradation Effects Influencing Mechanical Properties of Aggregate Base and Granular Subbase Materials in Minnesota. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2012. 2267:14-26.
Yoder, E. J., and Witczak, M. W. (1991). Principles of pavement design. John Wiley & Sons.
Zhou, J., Chen, J. F., Xue, J. F., and Wang, J. Q. (2012). “Micro-mechanism of the Interaction between Sand and Geogrid Transverse Ribs.” Geosynthetics Int. 19 (6), 426–437.
Zou, Y., Leo, C. J., and Small, J. C. (2000). Behaviour of EPS geofoam as flexible pavement subgrade material in model tests. Geosynthetics International, 7(1), 1-22.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published online: Jun 4, 2021
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.