Effects of geogrid reinforcement on the seismic performance of lightweight embankments

Abstract

Highway embankments have experienced earthquake induced damages from minor to catastrophic scales during the past few decades despite the fact that highways are considered as major lifelines that should be in continuous operation under any circumstances. Recent advances in highway engineering suggest that geosynthetic reinforcement can be considered as a novel approach to mitigate the earthquake hazards on highway embankments successfully. The use EPS geofoam inclusions is one of the prominent improvement methods available to increase the seismic performance of lightweight embankments. It’s a well-known method to reduce the magnitude of earthquake-induced dynamic forces. The aim of this numerical study is to determine the effects of using geogrid reinforcement on the seismic performance of lightweight embankments. Non-linear dynamic analyses were performed using the PLAXIS software using real earthquake records. Evaluation of the results reveal that inclusion of geogrid reinforcement layer beneath the lightweight embankment model successfully decreases earthquake-induced dynamic forces and increases the seismic performance of the embankment model in comparison of the nominally identical structure with no geogrid reinforcement. Numerical results obtained from this novel technique suggest that the implementation of a geogrid layer beneath such lightweight embankments can successfully and effectively increase the seismic performance of such structures.