Experimental and Analytical Investigation of Geogrid MSE Walls

Abstract

This study addresses the small-scale testing of Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) walls reinforced with geogrids. Two High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and two Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) geogrid reinforced small-scale (1:5.5) MSE walls were tested. Additionally, a prototype full-scale MSE wall was tested, with one half of the wall reinforced with HDPE geogrids, and the other half with PET geogrids. Panel movements, strains in the reinforcement, and settlements were measured. The analytical work consisted of finite difference modeling of the small-scale MSE walls with Fast Lagrangian Analysis of Continua (FLAC) software. The results of both the HDPE and PET walls testing showed that the deformations and strains encountered in the geogrids were very small, even at loads above normal working conditions. It was also observed that there were large differences in the values between the small-scale testing, and both the FLAC modeling and the full-scale MSE wall prototype testing. This is a consequence of the material property discrepancies and geogrid distortion for the FLAC modeling, and the lack of gravity simulation of full scale wall behavior. Therefore, although small scale testing can be useful for obtaining preliminary results, computer modeling and/or full prototype testing are still necessary to accurately determine the behavior of MSE walls.