Centrifuge tests to investigate global performance of geosynthetic-reinforced pile-supported embankments with side slopes

Abstract

Three centrifuge model tests were conducted to investigate the influence of the number of geosynthetic layers and the pile clear spacing on the global performance of Geosynthetic-Reinforced Pile-Supported (GRPS) embankments with side slopes constructed on soft soil foundations. This study found that the change of the geogrid number from one to two did not significantly affect the foundation settlement, the geogrid deflection, and the vertical stress at the embankment base. For the GRPS embankment with a single geogrid layer, the geogrid strain distribution at the embankment base showed an “M” shape along the transverse direction with the maximum strain near the embankment shoulder. When two geogrid layers with sand in between were used, the upper and lower layers showed different strain distributions with the maximum strains happening near the embankment shoulder and at the center of the embankment for the upper and lower layers respectively. The strains of the upper geogrid were smaller than those of the lower geogrid. Smaller pile clear spacing reduced the geogrid deflection and the foundation settlement. Despite the change of the pile clear spacing, the progressive development of soil arching with the normalized displacement at the embankment base followed a similar trend without an obvious stress recovery stage.