Centrifuge Model Studies of the Seismic Response of Reinforced Soil Slopes
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 132, Issue 3
Abstract
Centrifuge tests were used to study the dynamic behavior of soil slopes reinforced with geosynthetics and metal grids. The main objectives were to determine the failure mechanism and amount of deformations under seismic loading and to identify the main parameters controlling seismically induced deformations. Geosynthetically reinforced soil slopes (2V:1H) and vertical walls reinforced with metallic mesh strips were subjected to earthquake motions with maximum foundation accelerations of up to . The experimental results show that slope movement can occur under relatively small base accelerations, and significant lateral and vertical deformations can occur within the reinforced soil mass under strong shaking. However, no distinct failure surfaces were observed, and the magnitude of deformations is related to the backfill density, reinforcement stiffness and spacing, and slope inclination.
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Acknowledgments
This research was done at the University of California, Berkeley as part of a research project funded by the California Department of Transportation, Award No. UNSPECIFIEDRTA-59A130-5. Special thanks is extended to the staff at the Schaevitz and National Centrifuge Facilities at University of California at Davis, especially Professor Bruce Kutter, Dr. Dan Wilson, Mr. Tom Kohnke, Mr. Hideo Nakajima, and Mr. Bill Sluis.
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Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 132 • Issue 3 • March 2006
Pages: 388 - 400
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© ASCE.
History
Received: Jan 25, 2004
Accepted: Aug 20, 2004
Published online: Mar 1, 2006
Published in print: Mar 2006
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