Working Stress Design Method for Reinforced Soil Walls

Abstract

A method for the internal design of reinforced soil walls based on working stresses is developed and evaluated using measurements from five full‐scale structures containing a range of reinforcement types. It is shown that, in general, the stiffer the reinforcement system and the higher the stresses induced during compaction, the higher are the tensile stresses that must be resisted by the reinforcements. Unique features of this method, compared to currently used reinforced soil wall design methods, are that it can be applied to all types of reinforcement systems, reinforcement and soil stiffness properties are considered, and backfill compaction stresses are taken explicitly into account. The method can be applied either analytically or using design charts. A design example is included.