A Numerical Model for Analyzing Long-Term Performance of Geosynthetic-Reinforced Soil Structures

Abstract

A numerical model is developed to investigate long-term soil-geosynthetic interaction in typical geosynthetic-reinforced soil structures. The numerical model employs the finite element method with a time marching scheme while incorporating a generalized creep law for geosynthetics and a visco-plastic constitutive law for soil. To verify the numerical model, two well-controlled laboratory long-term soil-geosynthetic performance tests were analyzed. One performance test used cohesive backfill and the other a granular backfill. As a result of soil-geosynthetic interaction, the cohesive backfill test exhibited significant deformation with time, while the granular backfill test demonstrated little deformation with time. It is shown that the numerical model is capable of simulating the long-term soil-geosynthetic interactive behavior of both long-term performance tests. To illustrate the importance of the long-term soil-geosynthetic interaction, the numerical model was used to analyze the long-term performance of two 3 m high geosynthetic-reinforced soil retaining walls, one with a cohesive backfill and the other with a granular backfill.