Behaviour of geocell-reinforced strip footings on slopes

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study presents the results of a series of reduced scale model tests carried out to investigate the bearing capacity and displacement behaviour of strip footings resting near both unreinforced and geocell-reinforced sand slopes. Impacts of some contributing factors such as slope angle, depth of geocell embedment, geocell pocket size and the arrangement of double layer reinforcement are presented and discussed thoroughly. Results indicate that placing a single geocell layer at a depth to footing width ratio of 0.1 (d/B = 0.1) leads to the highest bearing capacity and the lowest settlement ratio. It was observed that steepening the reinforced slope always reduces the bearing capacity and this reduction is remarkable if the slope angle approaches the soil internal friction angle. The optimum depth of the first geocell layer (µ) in a double-layer reinforced slope was found to be approximately 0.5B. At large settlements (s/B > 25%) double geocell reinforcement is always superior to single-layer reinforcement. However, at smaller settlements (s/B < 15%), double geocell reinforcement is effective provided that the spacing of the geocell layers is smaller than 0.5B.