Characteristics of a New-Type Geocell Flexible Retaining Wall

Geocell flexible retaining wall is a new type of retaining structure constructed by stacking three-dimensional network geocells filled with soil or gravel. The writers analyzed the interaction among wall, reinforced layers, and fill using the finite element software, MARC, and evaluated the stress distribution of the geocell flexible retaining wall. Field testing was conducted to measure the lateral earth pressure of a geocell flexible retaining wall constructed on an expressway in central north China’s Shanxi Province. It was shown that the deformation of flexible retaining wall was significantly influenced by the width of wall, distance between adjacent reinforced layers, and foundation modulus. The width of wall affected the stress level noticeably. The horizontal displacement of reinforced layers increased as the external load applied on the fill behind the wall increased. The horizontal stress of tied reinforced layers developed in three phases: bending, stretching–bending, and stretching as the external load increased. Economic analysis demonstrated that the cost of geocell flexible retaining wall can be reduced by 24%, which brings about remarkable economic benefits.