Performance Analysis of Shored Mechanically Stabilized Earth Walls with Wrapped Facing Using Numerical Simulations
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 150, Issue 6
Abstract
Although mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls typically require a reinforcement length-to-wall-height ratio of 0.7, the use of short reinforcement may be inevitable in certain situations, such as building MSE walls in mountainous areas, widening existing highways, or restoring eroded roadways. Intuitively, connecting the rear end of reinforcement in shored mechanically stabilized earth (SMSE) walls to the stable face behind can compensate for insufficient reinforcement anchorage length. However, the effectiveness of this approach remains debatable in the existing literature. This study aims to provide more complementary data and insight into the behavior of SMSE walls at a working stress state. A finite difference numerical model was first validated using measurements from centrifuge and full-scale tests. Then, a parametric study was conducted to evaluate the effects of wall geometry, reinforcement parameters, and backfill properties on the lateral facing displacement and maximum reinforcement tensile loads of SMSE walls. The numerical simulations show that, while connected conditions certainly improve the stability of the SMSE wall at the limit state, they may, counterintuitively, worsen the performance of the wall and increase the maximum reinforcement loads at working stress conditions, presenting a design dilemma. The reasons for the results obtained are discussed in detail, and optimized approaches are proposed to improve the performance of SMSE walls.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to gratefully acknowledge the support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 52278371 and 52322808). The authors wish to express their gratitude to the three anonymous reviewers and editors for their constructive feedback and instrumental suggestions.
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Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 150 • Issue 6 • June 2024
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© 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 27, 2023
Accepted: Jan 19, 2024
Published online: Apr 10, 2024
Published in print: Jun 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Sep 10, 2024
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