Influential factors affecting drainage design considerations for mechanical stabilised earth walls using geocomposites

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

Mechanically stabilised earth (MSE) walls are made of unsaturated soil that is strengthened with artificial materials. They have been widely used over the past three decades; however, occasional failures due to inadequate drainage during heavy rainfall have been encountered. Essentially, the reinforced zone of the MSE wall must be protected from water inflow for the system to work satisfactorily. Recent studies have reported on the alternative use of geocomposites to replace the conventional drainage system in MSE walls, typically comprising well-graded gravel. Geocomposites comprise a core material with a large flow channel, which is covered by a nonwoven geotextile. Although it is widely recognised that geotextiles possess a water retention characteristic (WRC), only a few studies have examined the effect of WRC on the seepage responses of MSE walls. In this research, large-scale physical model tests for seepage flow through an MSE wall were undertaken with and without an L-shaped geocomposite drain. Co...