Baojian Zhang

Field Behavior of a Geogrid Reinforced Soil Retaining Wall with a Wrap-Around Facing

The earth pressure and deformation characteristics of a geogrid reinforced soil retaining wall were monitored during and for a period of 1.5 years after construction. Both vertical and lateral soil stresses were recorded with vibrating-wire earth pressure cells, and the reinforcement deformations were measured using flexible displacement sensors. The maximum vertical foundation pressure along the wall’s reinforcements occurred at the center of the reinforcement, gradually decreasing towards the front and back ends. The measured lateral earth pressure within the reinforced soil wall is non-linear along the wall height, and the value is less than the theoretical active lateral earth pressure. The distribution of tensile strain along the reinforcements within the lower portion of the wall has two peak values. The potential failure surface of the wall closely follows the theoretical Coulomb failure surface of an unreinforced backfill.

Applications of Geogrid Reinforced Soil Retaining Wall with Wrap-Around Facing in Railway

The geogrid reinforced soil retaining wall with wrap-around facing on China&s railway line was built and monitored during construction and the first 1.5 years after construction. The reinforcement strains were measured using flexible displacement sensors, and the soil stresses were recorded using vibrating-wire load cells. The maximum vertical foundation pressure along the wall&s reinforcements occurs at the central point of the reinforcement, gradually decreasing toward the front and back ends of the wall. The measured lateral earth pressure within the reinforced soil wall is non-linear along the height, and the value is less than the active lateral earth pressure. The distribution of tensile strain on the geogrid reinforcements within the upper portion of the wall is at a single peak value, but the distribution of tensile strain along the reinforcements within the lower portion of the wall have double-peak values. The potential failure plane within the wall closely follows the active Rankine Earth Pressure Theory. The results presented in this paper are useful in advancing the understanding of the behavior of reinforced soil walls with wrap-around facing.

The Horizontal Deformation Study on the Geogrid Reinforced Earth Retianing Wall

The geogrid’s horizontal deformation of geogrid reinforced earth retaining wall was observed installing the gentle displacement gauge on the geogrids. And the strain rule which increase along with the tensile speed and the strength increasing were concluded from geogrid indoor test at the same time. The geogrid’s horizontal deformation rule of geogrid reinforced earth retaining wall was concluded by observing and analyzing the indoor and spot test result and the master of horizontal deformation controlling was confirmed.

Study on the Geogrid Reinforced Soil Retaining Wall of Concrete Rigid Face by Field Test

The field test of moulding concrete rigid panel faced geogrids reinforced soil retaining wall is done in the Gan (Zhou)-Long (Yan) railway main line of China. The basement vertical pressure of reinforced soil retaining wall is non-linear along the reinforcement length, and the maximum value is at the middle of the reinforcement length, moreover the value reduce gradually at former and bottom. The testing lateral pressure of the reinforced soil wall is non-linear along the height and the value is less than the active lateral earth pressure. The distribution of tensile strain along reinforcement at the upper wall is single peak value, but the distribution of tensile strain along reinforcement at the lower wall is twin peak value. The potential fracture plane at upper wall is similar to “0.3H method”, but the potential fracture plane at lower wall is near to the active Rankine earth pressure theory. The position of the maxmium lateral displacement of the wall face during construction at lower wall, moreover the position of the maxmium lateral displacement of the wall face after construction at top of the wall.