Study on sliding stability of porous-concrete retaining wall model test subjected to rainfall infiltration

Abstract

The common disadvantage of a conventional retaining wall is a heavy object as a block that is difficult to lift and handle conveniently. A drainage pipe is commonly used to displace water from the backfill. In areas with high annual rainfall, the soil could be saturated in a short time and added lateral load significantly. In this study, porous concrete was utilized as a retaining wall material with the advantages of the lighter weight of the block and additional drainage capability due to its high void ratio. A set of a laboratory-scale retaining walls using conventional and porous concrete walls was investigated through three different rainfall modes. To initiate the instability condition, a vertical load was applied then the lateral moving was recorded using LVDT sensors. Soil moisture content sensors recorded hydrologic responses of the saturation process. The loading test results showed that the porous concrete wall model was being displaced less than experienced by the conventional concrete wall. It shows that the porous concrete wall model can withstand the load as the additional lateral load from infiltrated rainwater dissipates rapidly. Therefore, the porous concrete wall has the advantage of being used as a Retaining Wall Material.