Effects of including fully wraparound geogrid layers on the load-bearing capacity and settlement of a strip footing resting on sandy soil

Abstract

In this study, a series of small-scale physical model tests were conducted to investigate the effects of fully wrapped geogrid sheets on the load‒settlement response of medium-dense sandy soil beneath a single-strip foundation. Recent research has provided evidence of how different parameters affect the behavior of dense sandy soil when reinforced with fully wraparound geogrid sheets. Additionally, a parametric analysis was conducted to investigate the influence of various factors on the system. These factors include the presence of a folded geogrid sheet, the depth and length of an embedded wraparound geogrid sheet, the thickness of the fully wrapped geogrid layer, the impact of tensile strains along the geogrid sheet, and the effect of additional confinement pressure. The inclusion of a single sheet of full wraparound geogrid sheets has been found to significantly affect the pressure-bearing capacity of medium-dense sandy soil and settlement beneath the strip footing. The carrying capacity increases by 280%, and the settlement ratios decrease by 50% when using one layer of full wraparound geogrid. Moreover, when using one fully folded geogrid sheet, the strain induced beneath the center of the footing decreases significantly by approximately 45.5% and the applied pressure by approximately 15.5% in comparison with two inclusions of planar geogrid layers. In addition, the stress distributions are spread over a larger region within the soil mass. One significant finding is that the presence of two overlapping parts prevents the rupture of the geogrid sheet, as opposed to the planar geogrid sheet.