The Behavior of Mechanically Stabilized Earth Walls under the Influence of Dynamic Train Loads
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 24, Issue 9
Abstract
The utilization of a mechanically stabilized earth wall (MSE wall) is prevalent due to its stability and cost-effectiveness compared to conventional earthwork construction methods. In addition, the railway transportation infrastructure has played a vital role in connecting Thailand’s numerous regions. The behavior of a 6-m-high MSE wall constructed on a hard ground foundation, which was reinforced with high-density polyethylene on one side and a metallic strip on the other side, was studied in this research. The purpose of this MSE wall is to support the railway structure under dynamic train loads at 100, 150, and 200 km/h. The three-dimensional finite-element method was used to simulate and investigate the behavior of the MSE wall in terms of lateral displacement, settlement, and strain of reinforcement materials. The findings of the study demonstrate that there is a positive correlation between train speed and both lateral displacement and settlement. This relationship is most pronounced at the top of the MSE wall, which is primarily attributable to the influence of surface waves. The MSE wall’s behavior under the influence of dynamic train loads was most prominently displayed by the surface waves, which were a curved wavefront at 150 km/h and a Mach cone at 200 km/h. The settlement profile increased when the speed of dynamic train loads increased. The impact of velocity fluctuations on the strain of the reinforcement material was insignificant. Due to the hard ground foundation, the behavior of the MSE wall on both types of reinforcement materials exhibited similar tendencies. Moreover, it was observed that the maximum tension lines closely follow the bilinear coherent gravity method with a standard distance of 0.3H from the facing, where H represents the equivalent height of the MSE wall.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
All data, models, and codes generated or used during the study appear in the published article.
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang. Suranaree University of Technology (SUT) and Thailand Science Research and Innovation (TSRI) are also highly appreciated. The authors acknowledge Ho Chi Minh City Open University for providing the license of Plaxis software.
References
Alejano, L. R., and E. Alonso. 2005. “Considerations of the dilatancy angle in rocks and rock masses.” Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. 42: 481–507. https://doi.org/ 10.1016/j.ijrmms.2005.01.003.
Alielahi, H., Z. A. Nadernia, and M. M. Entezari. 2023. “A numerical study on effect of underground cavities on seismic ground response due to Rayleigh wave propagation.” SN Appl. Sci. 5: 64. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-023-05283-1.
Auvinet, G., and J. L. Gonzalez. 2000. “Three-dimensional reliability analysis of earth slopes.” Comput. Geotech. 26: 247–261. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0266-352X(99)00041-5.
Baral, P., D. T. Bergado, and S. Duangkhae. 2016. “The use of polymeric and metallic geogrid on a full-scale MSE wall/embankment on hard foundation: A comparison of field data with simulation.” Int. J. Geo-Eng. 7 (20): 1–29. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40703-016-0035-6.
Bergado, D., S. Chaiyaput, R. Basilio, O. Sukchaisit, and T. Hino. 2021. “Maximum tension lines of MSE embankments with polymer and metallic reinforcements on different foundations types.” Lowland Technol. Int. J. 23 (3): 26–41. https://doi.org/10.0001/ialt_lti.v23i3.999.
Bergado, D. T., J. C. Chai, and N. Miura. 1995. “FE analysis of grid reinforced embankment system on soft Bangkok clay.” Comput. Geotech. 17: 447–471. https://doi.org/10.1016/0266-352X(95)94915-D.
Bergado, D. T., and C. Teerawattanasuk. 2008. “2D and 3D numerical simulations of reinforced embankments on soft ground.” Geotext. Geomembr. 26: 39–55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geotexmem.2007.03.003.
Chaiyaput, S., N. Arwaedo, P. Jamsawang, and J. Ayawanna. 2022a. “Natural para rubber in road embankment stabilization.” Appl. Sci. 12 (3): 1394. https://doi.org/10.3390/app12031394.
Chaiyaput, S., T. Suksawat, and J. Ayawanna. 2021. “Evaluation of the road failure using resistivity and screw driving sounding testing techniques: A case study in Ang Thong province, Thailand.” Eng. Fail. Anal. 121: 105171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engfailanal.2020.105171.
Chaiyaput, S., N. Sutti, T. Suksawat, and J. Ayawanna. 2022b. “Electrical resistivity survey for evaluating the undrained shear strength of soft Bangkok clay at some of the canal-side road investigation sites.” Bull. Eng. Geol. Environ. 81 (27): 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-021-02537-3.
Christopher, B. R., and V. Elias. 1997. Mechanically stabilized earth walls and reinforced soil slopes design and construction guidelines. Publication No. FHWA-SA-96-071. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration.
Christopher, B. R., A. Gill, and S. P. Giroud. 1990. Reinforced soil structure (I), design and construction guidelines. Publication No. FHWA RD-89-043. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration.
Corfdir, A., E. Bourgeois, and J.-B. Payeur. 2017. “Numerical simulation of the response of a reinforced wall to a high speed train passage.” Int. J. Numer. Anal. Methods Geomech. 41 (11): 1285–1303. https://doi.org/10.1002/nag.2674.
Duangkhae, S. 2013. “Laboratory and field behavior of reinforced wall/embankment using various reinforcements and facing systems.” D.Eng. thesis, Dept. of Civil and Infrastucture Engineering, School of Engineering and Technology, Asian Institute of Technology.
Duangkhae, S., D. T. Bergado, P. Baral, and B. T. Ocay. 2013. “Analysis of reinforced embankment on soft and hard foundation.” Proc. Inst. Civ. Eng. Ground Improv. 66 (G11): 3–23. https://doi.org/10.1680/grim.13.0000.
Edincliler, A., and E. Guler. 1999. “Geotextile-reinforced embankments on soft clays—Effects of a foundation soil crust strengthened by lime diffusion.” Geosynth. Int. 6 (2): 71–91. https://doi.org/10.1680/gein.6.0144.
Elias, V., R. Christopher, and P. E. Barry. 2001. Mechanically stabilized earth walls and reinforced soil slopes design and construction guidelines. Publication No. FHWA NHI-00-043. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration, DOT.
Hatami, K., and R. J. Bathurst. 2005. “Development and verification of a numerical model for the analysis of geosynthetic-reinforced soil segmental walls under working stress conditions.” Can. Geotech. J. 42 (4): 1066–1085. https://doi.org/10.1139/t05-040.
Huynh, Q. T., V. Q. Lai, J. Shiau, S. Keawsawasvong, L. Z. Mase, and H. T. Tra. 2022. “On the use of both diaphragm and secant pile walls for a basement upgrade project in Vietnam.” Innovative Infrastruct. Solutions 7 (17): 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41062-021-00625-7.
Indraratna, B., and S. Nimbalkar. 2013. “Stress‒strain degradation response of railway ballast stabilized with geosynthetics.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 139 (5): 684–700. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0000758.
Kouroussis, G., O. Verlinden, and C. Conti. 2011. “Free field vibrations caused by high-speed lines: Measurement and time domain simulation.” Soil Dyn. Earthquake Eng. 31 (4): 692–707. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soildyn.2010.11.012.
Lai, Y. P., D. T. Bergado, G. A. Lorenzo, and T. Duangchan. 2006. “Full-scale reinforced embankment on deep jet mixing improved ground.” Proc. Inst. Civ. Eng. Ground Improv. 10 (4): 153–164. https://doi.org/10.1680/grim.2006.10.4.153.
Li, L., S. Nimbalkar, and R. Zhong. 2018. “Finite element model of ballasted railway with infinite boundaries considering effects of moving train loads and Rayleigh waves.” Soil Dyn. Earthquake Eng. 114: 147–153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soildyn.2018.06.033.
Moormann, C., J. Lehn, J. Aschrafi, and D. Sarkar. 2016. “Numerical investigations on track-substructure system considering the effect of different train speeds.” Procedia Eng. 143: 1093–1099. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2016.06.220.
Nualkliang, M. 2011. “Behavior of MSE wall/embankment with geogrid and metallic reinforcements on hard foundation.” M.Eng. thesis, Dept. of Civil and Infrastucture Engineering, School of Engineering and Technology, Asian Institute of Technology.
Paolucci, R., and D. Spinelli. 2006. “Ground motion induced by train passage.” J. Eng. Mech. 132: 201–210. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9399(2006)132:2(201).
Plaxis Vietnam Seminar. 2008. Presentation. “Advance Computational Geotechnics Plaxis.” Hanoi, Vietnam: Vietnam Seminar.
Pyrgidis, C. N. 2016. Railway transportation systems: Design, construction and operation, 279–239. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
Sayeed, M. A., and M. A. Shahin. 2016. “Three-dimensional numerical modelling of ballasted railway track foundations for high-speed trains with special reference to critical speed.” Transp. Geotech. 6: 55–65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trgeo.2016.01.003.
SRT (State Railway of Thailand). 1980. Designed weight of a train. [In Thai.] The standard drawing no. 1965–25. Bangkok, Thailand: Dept. of Civil Engineering, State Railway of Thailand.
SRT (State Railway of Thailand). 1981. Specification of a ballasted track. [In Thai.] The standard drawing no. 1930–10. Bangkok, Thailand: Dept. of Civil Engineering, State Railway of Thailand.
Sukchaisit, O., S. Chaiyaput, V. Chatpattananan, and T. Kongsomboon. 2016. “Investigation of MSE wall behavior under rail base by finite element method base on field scale model.” In Proc., 28th National Convention on Civil Engineering. [In Thai.]. Phuket, Thailand: National Convention on Civil Engineering.
Tanchaisawat, T. 2008. “Interactions and performances of geogrid reinforced tire chips-sand lightweight embankment on soft ground.” Ph.D. thesis, Dept. of Civil and Infrastucture Engineering, School of Engineering and Technology. Asian Institute of Technology.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 24 • Issue 9 • September 2024
Copyright
© 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Aug 8, 2023
Accepted: Mar 18, 2024
Published online: Jul 10, 2024
Published in print: Sep 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Dec 10, 2024
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Continuum mechanics
- Dynamic loads
- Dynamics (solid mechanics)
- Engineering mechanics
- Geomechanics
- Geotechnical engineering
- Infrastructure
- Material mechanics
- Material properties
- Materials engineering
- Rail transportation
- Railroad trains
- Retaining structures
- Soil dynamics
- Soil mechanics
- Soil stabilization
- Solid mechanics
- Structural dynamics
- Structural engineering
- Surface waves
- Transportation engineering
- Waves (mechanics)
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.