TY - JOUR
T1 - Three-dimensional finite element analysis of geosynthetic-reinforced soil walls with turning corners
AU - Hung, C.
AU - Liu, C. H.
AU - Liu, H.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors appreciate the Young Scholar Fellowship Program by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan : Grants 108-2636-E-006-003 & 109-2636-E-006-016 . The research was, in part, supported by the Higher Education Sprout Project , Ministry of Education, Taiwan, ROC , Headquarters of University Advancement to the National Cheng Kung University .
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2021/6
Y1 - 2021/6
N2 - The paper presents in-depth three-dimensional finite element analyses investigating geosynthetic-reinforced soil walls with turning corners. Validation of the 3D numerical procedure was first performed via comparisons between the simulated and reported results of a benchmark physical modeling built at the Royal Military College of Canada. GRS walls with corners of 90°, 105°, 120°, 135°, 150°, and 180° were simulated adopting the National Concrete Masonry Association guidelines. The behaviors of the GRS walls with corners, including the lateral facing displacement, maximum reinforcement load, factor of safety, potential failure surface, vertical separation of facing blocks, and types of corners were carefully evaluated. Our comprehensive results show (i) minimum lateral displacement occurs at the corner; (ii) lower strength of reinforcements are required at the corner; (iii) higher corner angles lead to lower stability; (iv) potential failure surface forms earlier at the end walls; (v) deeper potential failure surfaces are found at the corners; (vi) larger numbers of vertical separations are found at walls with smaller corner angles. The paper highlighted the salient influence of the corners on the behaviors of GRS walls and indicated that a 3D analysis could reflect the required reinforcement length and the irregular formation of the potential failure surfaces.
AB - The paper presents in-depth three-dimensional finite element analyses investigating geosynthetic-reinforced soil walls with turning corners. Validation of the 3D numerical procedure was first performed via comparisons between the simulated and reported results of a benchmark physical modeling built at the Royal Military College of Canada. GRS walls with corners of 90°, 105°, 120°, 135°, 150°, and 180° were simulated adopting the National Concrete Masonry Association guidelines. The behaviors of the GRS walls with corners, including the lateral facing displacement, maximum reinforcement load, factor of safety, potential failure surface, vertical separation of facing blocks, and types of corners were carefully evaluated. Our comprehensive results show (i) minimum lateral displacement occurs at the corner; (ii) lower strength of reinforcements are required at the corner; (iii) higher corner angles lead to lower stability; (iv) potential failure surface forms earlier at the end walls; (v) deeper potential failure surfaces are found at the corners; (vi) larger numbers of vertical separations are found at walls with smaller corner angles. The paper highlighted the salient influence of the corners on the behaviors of GRS walls and indicated that a 3D analysis could reflect the required reinforcement length and the irregular formation of the potential failure surfaces.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.geotexmem.2020.11.008
DO - 10.1016/j.geotexmem.2020.11.008
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85098506827
SN - 0266-1144
VL - 49
SP - 629
EP - 645
JO - Geotextiles and Geomembranes
JF - Geotextiles and Geomembranes
IS - 3
ER -