Numerical Simulation of Plane Strain Compression Tests on Large Geogrid-Reinforced Sand Specimens

Abstract

Numerical simulation of large plane strain compression tests on a unreinforced specimen and geogrid-reinforced sand specimens was conducted by nonlinear elasto-plastic FEM considering strain localization. The sand specimens were reinforced with 6 and 11 layers of geogrid, respectively. The plane strain FEM analyses, in which the geogrid was modelled as a planar reinforcement, could properly simulate global stress-strain relationships obtained from the experiments either when the equivalent (reduced) tensile stiffness was used together with an interface friction angle similar to the sand, or when the equivalent (reduced) interface friction angle was used together with the measured tensile stiffness. By examining local stress-strain relationships and development of shear band within the specimen obtained from the FEM, the reinforcing mechanism and the effects of vertical spacing of reinforcement layers were clearly understood.