Pullout resistance mechanism of bearing reinforcement embedded in residual clayey soils

Abstract

A bearing reinforcement earth (BRE) wall was proposed as an alternative, temporary structure replacing a natural slope to enhance performance and slope stability. The pullout resistance mechanism of the bearing reinforcement embedded in the compacted residual soils (red clay and claystone), which is required for BRE wall design, is investigated in this paper. The pullout resistance predictive method is recommended for both soils. The pullout resistance of the bearing reinforcement comprises both friction and bearing components. The peak interface factor (αp) between the soil and the longitudinal member is found to be 0.66 and 0.40 for red clay and claystone, respectively, while the residual interface factor (αr) is 0.47 and 0.22 for red clay and claystone, respectively. Though the red clay has a higher αp and αr than the claystone, the friction pullout resistance is lower than that of the claystone due to a lower shear strength. The pullout bearing resistance of transverse members (Pbn) can be calculated ...