Number Of Reinforcement Layers Research Articles

Experimental study on the performance of geogrid-reinforced soil (GRS) walls under monotonic footing loading

Geogrid-reinforced soil (GRS) is a widely employed compound material in the construction of retaining walls. This paper presents a set of reduced-scale model tests to study the performance of GRS walls with dry backfill under monotonic footing loading, varying parameters such as wall inclination angle and the number of reinforcement layers. Lateral deflections of the retaining wall, bearing capacity of the footing and the failure mode of the soil were analysed. The results indicated that augmenting the reinforcement layers will lessen wall lateral deflections, and increasing the angle of inclination could significantly enhance ultimate bearing capacity of the footing. A linear relationship was found between the overall lateral deflections of the retaining wall and the footing settlement. The failure of geogrid could lead to a breakdown in the connection between the geogrid and the soil, consequently causing local failure. The failure modes of the GRS wall under strip footing was composed of shear failure in the reinforcement layer and spiral failure in the weak layer. At last, the logarithmic spiral analysis method was modified slightly to calculate the ultimate bearing capacity. The analytical solution and the outcomes derived from experimental models exhibit a high level of concordance.

Analysis of the effect of the direction of reinforcement of a fibrous composite material on the inhomogeneity of localization of deformations and stresses using the method of thermoelastic response

The purpose of the article is to study the effect of the direction of reinforcement of a composite material relative to the cyclic load on the inhomogeneity of stress distribution by the thermal method of non-destructive testing using the thermoelastic effect. This method is widely used in all industries for the control of structural elements and in research work. The degree of stress inhomogeneity is used when choosing the safety factors necessary to ensure the safety of technical objects. In this study, the thermoelastic effect is used to show the possibility of estimating the local distribution of stresses using the temperature field of the test object, proceeding from the linear relation between the temperature of the elastic body and mechanical stresses. The results of studying composite laminates (fibrous filler (fiberglass) with an epoxy matrix) with different laying of fibers with respect to the direction of loading are presented. Four laminate samples were considered: single-layer [0] and [90], three-layer [0]3 and [90]3. Statistical data and estimates of the coefficients of variation, methods of clustering and averaging over the length of the laminates the values of the temperature distribution over the surface of the laminates. The numerical characteristics of the distribution of local temperatures are obtained. It is shown that a more uniform distribution occurs when reinforcing is directed along the direction of the material loading. The integral and local characteristics of the temperature distribution in the samples are compared. The differences in the local temperature distribution depending on the laminate thickness were noted visually for single-layer and three-layer samples. A more uniform distribution of the load is also observed in the direction of reinforcement and with an increase in the number of reinforcement layers. The results obtained lead to the conclusion that the choice of the value of the safety factor, which evaluates the level of stress inhomogeneity, depends on the design features of the laminates. During operation of products made of composite materials in the presence of significant accumulated damage, when the uneven distribution of stresses increases, the levels of safety factors should be adjusted.

Strengthening of Laminated Veneer Lumber Slabs with Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Sheets—Preliminary Study

Analyzing the feasibility of reinforcing new and existing wooden structures is a valid problem, being the subject of numerous scientific papers. The paper presents the preliminary results of a study on reinforcing Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) panels with composite materials bonded to exterior surfaces using epoxy resin. Glass-Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) sheets, Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) sheets, and Ultra-High-Modulus (UHM) CFRP sheets were used as reinforcement. The variables in the analysis were the type of reinforcement and the number of reinforcement layers. The tests were carried out on small samples (45 × 45 × 900 mm) subjected to the so-called four-point bending test. Reinforcement positively affected the mechanical properties of composite section. The highest increases in load bearing were 37 and 48% for two layers of GFRP and CFRP, respectively. The bending stiffness increased up to 53 and 62% for two layers of CFRP and UHM CFRP, respectively. There was a change in failure mode from cracking in the tension zone for unreinforced beams to veneer shear in the support zone (for CFRP and GFRP sheets) and sheet rupture (UHM CFRP). Good agreement was obtained for estimating bending stiffness with the presented numerical and mathematical model; the relative error was up to 6% for CFRP and GFRP and up to 20% for UHM CFRP. This preliminary study proved the effectiveness of combining LVL with FRP sheets and indicated their weak spots, which should be further analyzed to improve their competitiveness against the traditional structures. The key limitation was the shear strength of LVL.

Biaxial compressive capacity of textile-reinforced concrete

The structural behaviour of textile-reinforced concrete (TRC) components under uniaxial compressive loading has already been studied. However, for practical applications, multi-axial loading conditions are often of great importance. It is well known from steel-reinforced concrete that multiaxial compressive stresses lead to increased compressive strength. The extent to which this assumption can be transferred to TRC components should be investigated. This paper investigates the influence of textile carbon grid reinforcement on the compressive capacity of disc-shaped concrete specimens. The specimens were subjected to a biaxial compressive load in the plane of the reinforcement. Emphasis was placed on the influence parameters of production type of the disc specimens (laminated or poured), impregnation material of the carbon textile (polystyrene or epoxy resin) and number of reinforcement layers. It was found that the general presence of a textile reinforcement as a two-dimensional interference plane had the greatest influence on the compressive capacity of the specimens, while the other parameters investigated played a minor role. Depending on the load ratio in the two compression axes, there were increases or decreases in capacity compared to the uniaxial tests. This has to be taken into account in the design of the corresponding components. Finally, an outlook is given on future investigations planned to support and extend the results presented in this paper.

Influence of geosynthetics reinforcement on liquefaction and post-liquefaction behaviors of calcareous sand

To provide new insights into the liquefaction and post-liquefaction behaviors of calcareous sand with and without geosynthetics reinforcement, a series of multi-stage cyclic triaxial tests were conducted. The geosynthetics employed in this study include geogrid, geotextile, and geotextile-geogrid composite. The multi-stage tests consist of an initial cyclic loading applied to cause liquefaction, followed by undrained monotonic loading without excess pore pressure dissipation. The effect of different arrangements of reinforcement layer on the behaviors of calcareous sand is examined and discussed in this study. The test results indicate that a unique relationship can be observed between the double amplitude axial strain and the pore pressure ratio of calcareous sand, irrespective of the influence of reinforcement layer arrangement, providing an effective means of predicting the strain at a given pore pressure level. The liquefaction resistance of calcareous sand increases with the increase in the number of reinforcement layer and decreases with the increase in the distance from the first layer of reinforcement to the sample’s top surface. Compared to geogrid and geotextile, the proposed geotextile-geogrid composite exhibits better efficiency in enhancing the liquefaction resistance of calcareous sand. The reinforcement also accelerates the recovery of strength for liquefied calcareous sand and increases the maximum shear strength of sand at large axial strain during the post-liquefaction stage.

A Novel Method for Optimizing Parameters influencing the Bearing Capacity of Geosynthetic Reinforced Sand Using RSM, ANN, and Multi-objective Genetic Algorithm

Abstract In this study, a novel method is proposed to optimize the reinforced parameters influencing the bearing capacity of a shallow square foundation resting on sandy soil reinforced with geosynthetic. The parameters to be optimized are reinforcement length (L), the number of reinforcement layers (N), the depth of the topmost layer of geosynthetic (U), and the vertical distance between two reinforcement layers (X). To achieve this objective, 25 laboratory small-scale model tests were conducted on reinforced sand. This laboratory-scale model has used two geosynthetics as reinforcement materials and one sandy soil. Firstly, the effect of reinforcement parameters on the bearing load was investigated using the analysis of variance (ANOVA). Both response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural networks (ANN) tools were applied and compared to model bearing capacity. Finally, the multiobjective genetic algorithm (MOGA) coupled with RSM and ANN models was used to solve multi objective optimization problems. The design of bearing capacity is considered a multi-objective optimization problem. In this regard, the two conflicting objectives are the need to maximize bearing capacity and minimize the cost. According to the obtained results, an informed decision regarding the design of the bearing capacity of reinforced sand is reached.

Experimental evaluation of heave characteristics in sand bed reinforced with closely woven rattan mats

The restrictions imposed on infrastructural development in a country due to the scarcity of structurally sound and stable earthen base can be resolved by means of suitable ground improvement methods. Soil reinforcement using natural fibers like coir, jute, sisal and bamboo have attracted our recent attention due to the achievement of promising results in the field of geotechnical engineering. The present study investigates the potential benefits of using rattan for reinforcing sand beds as an alternative to geosynthetic products. Rattan being an eco-friendly and easily available material has been decided to be used in the form of rattan strips to fabricate closely woven rattan mats. Series of plate load tests were carried out to study the load settlement behavior of square model footing resting on sand bed reinforced with closely woven rattan mats. The paper presents the results obtained after varying the parameters like top layer spacing, number of reinforcement layers and width of reinforcement. A considerable reduction in heave was observed after placing rattan mats of width 3B at an optimum spacing of 0.3B. The experimental investigations indicates that the heave has reduced to 97 % after incorporating four layers of planar rattan mats at optimum spacings when compared to unreinforced sand.

Influence of aperture size on the performance of square footing resting on rattan reinforced sand

ABSTRACT Rattan fibre as a reinforcement material can be a promising candidate for fabricating mattresses that improves the bearing capacity and settlement reduction of sand. Apart from observing the potential of rattan mats in reinforcing the sand beds, an attempt is made to understand the role of apertures with varying dimensions in enhancing the load bearing performance of sand. A series of plate load tests were performed to study the effect of the depth of top layer reinforcement, width, aperture size of rattan mats and number of reinforcement layers. After comparing the test results of various aperture sized mats, openly woven rattan mats performed superior to closely woven mats. The incorporation of rattan mats under the most effective reinforcement configuration has enhanced the bearing strength improvement factor and settlement reduction factor to 7.1 and 0.85, respectively, for closely woven rattan mats and about 8.16 and 0.94 for openly woven rattan mats with optimum aperture sizes.

Experimental study on flexural performance of reinforced concrete beams strengthened by PET

AbstractPolyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a new type of fiber‐reinforced polymer (FRP) composite material, which has the characteristics of high performance, high toughness, high tensile fracture load, low elongation, low creep, no rust, and safety in use. The good performance of PET can significantly improve the mechanical properties of its components. A total of six reinforced concrete (RC) beams were produced in the test, one of which was a comparison beam, and the other five were reinforced with PET. In the test, the PET reinforcement spacing, number of reinforcement layers, and laying method were used as control variables, and an experimental study on the normal section bending performance of the specimen was performed. The test analyses the failure characteristics, crack width, bearing capacity, and deflection of the specimens under different reinforcement conditions. The test results showed that PET reinforcement can effectively inhibit the occurrence and development of cracks in RC beams and improve the ultimate bearing capacity and ductility of the components. The smaller the PET reinforcement spacing, the higher the ultimate bearing capacity; the greater the number of PET layers, the better the ductility of the specimen. Additionally, the economy, environmental protection, and portability of PET are of great significance for its application in practical engineering reinforcement.

Komparativna analiza učinkovitosti otpada od orezivanja palmi i geotekstila na stabilizaciju posteljice

This paper proposes a novel and environmentally friendly solution for subgrade stabilization that not only contributes towards waste material recycling but also enhances the bearing capacity of subgrade soil. Laboratory plate load tests were conducted under static loads to evaluate the potential use of palm tree pruning waste (PTPW) as a soil reinforcement material instead of commercially manufactured geotextiles, as well as to analyse the impact of the reinforcement depth, number of reinforcement layers, and the relative density of the subgrade material. The results revealed that as the number of reinforcements increased, the load-bearing pressure behaviour of the reinforced subgrades improved. Furthermore, when the reinforcement depth decreased, the load-bearing pressure behaviour improved significantly. All PTPW-reinforced subgrades performed better than geotextile-reinforced subgrades under the same conditions. Additionally, the bearing capacity improvement in the reinforced subgrades was evaluated based on the bearing capacity improvement factor (BCIF). The highest BCIF was obtained when the PTPW was used as a reinforcement with two layers at a sand subgrade relative density of 80 %.

Numerical Study of Geotextile-Reinforced Flexible Pavement Overlying Low-Strength Subgrade

Construction of low-volume flexible pavements on low-strength subgrade poses design, construction, and maintenance challenges. While researchers have generally acknowledged the potential for geosynthetics as reinforcement material, they mainly focused on permanent deformation. Therefore, this paper presents a numerical study of low-volume flexible pavement reinforced with geotextile material under static loading to determine the improvement due to reinforcement based on three criteria: rutting performance, geosynthetic placement location, and base course thickness reduction. Based on the Finite Element Method (FEM), three-dimensional modeling using Abaqus/CAE software was performed. From the study, a significant decrease in rutting of up to 25.2% for the unreinforced pavement system was attained with geotextile reinforcement at base–subgrade and AC–base interfaces. The deflection response behavior of the pavement system is affected by the elastic modulus of the geosynthetic material, placement location, and the number of reinforcement layers. As a result of reinforcement, a base course thickness reduction of up to 30% was achieved without sacrificing the pavement’s structural integrity.

Centrifuge model and numerical studies of strip footing on reinforced transparent soils

This paper presents the results of centrifuge model tests to investigate the deformation behaviour of unreinforced and reinforced transparent soil foundations under strip loading. A digital image analysis technique was employed to obtain the soil displacement field and strain distribution of reinforcements. Two-dimensional (2D) numerical models were developed and verified using the test results. The soil was modelled as a linearly-elastic perfectly-plastic material with Mohr–Coulomb failure criterion. The reinforcement was characterised using a linearly-elastic model considering rupture behaviour. Moreover, a parametric study was conducted to investigate the load–settlement response of foundations, distribution of reinforcement tension and failure sequence of reinforcements. The experimental and numerical studies show that the results obtained from the numerical simulations are in good agreement with the results of the centrifuge model tests. The 2D finite difference model developed using the user-defined functions coded into the FLAC programme can better simulate the progressive failure of the reinforcement layers in the tests. The failure sequence of reinforcement layers is not affected by the modulus and internal friction angle of soil and the reinforcement length, but is closely related to the combined effect of spacing and number of reinforcement layers and the combined effect of reinforcement stiffness and strength.

Strength characteristics of geosynthetic reinforced mechanically biologically treated waste by triaxial test

The reinforcement strength characteristics of mechanically biologically treated (MBT) waste were studied by conducting consolidated undrained triaxial tests with MBT waste collected from the Hangzhou Tianziling landfill pilot project. In the tests, the effects of the reinforcement material used (geomembrane, geotextile, and geogrid) and the number of reinforcement layers used (one, two, and three layers) were assessed. The results showed the following: (1) even through the axial strain increases up to 25%, the deviator stress of MBT waste could not reach a well-defined peak; (2) the reinforcement effect is related to the type of reinforcement material, with geogrid exhibiting the best reinforcement effect and geomembrane the worst; (3) the strength ratio of reinforced MBT waste is related to the confining pressure and the number of reinforcement layers, with a greater strength ratio in the MBT waste attained with a lower confining pressure in a logarithmic relationship and a greater strength ratio in the MBT waste attained with a greater number of reinforcement layers in a linear relationship; (4) the reinforced MBT waste shear strength parameter variation ranges for the cohesion (c), internal friction angle (φ), effective cohesion (c'), and effective internal friction angle (φ') are 3.92-13.69kPa, 19°-29°, 10.10-27.94kPa, and 24°-45°, respectively; and (5) the deviations in the test values from the apparent cohesion method and the semi-empirical formula method are less than 15%, indicating that these two theories of reinforced sand can also be applied to MBT waste. The results of this study are useful as a baseline reference for the stability assessment of MBT waste landfills.

Experimental Investigation on the Behavior of Gravelly Sand Reinforced with Geogrid under Cyclic Loading

In view of the dynamic response of geogrid-reinforced gravel under high-speed train load, this paper explores the dynamic characteristics of geogrid-reinforced gravel under semi-sine wave cyclic loading. A number of large scale cyclic triaxial tests were performed on saturated gravelly soil reinforced with geogrid to study the influence of the number of reinforcement layers and loading frequencies on the dynamic responses of reinforced gravelly sand subgrade for high speed rail track. The variation of cumulative axial and volumetric strains, excess pore pressure and resilient modulus with number of loading cycles, loading frequency, and reinforcement arrangement are analyzed. The test results reveal that the cumulative axial strain decreases as the number of reinforcement layers increases, but increases with loading frequency. The resilience modulus increases with the number of reinforcement layers, but decreases as the loading frequency increases. The addition of geogrid can reduce the excess pore water pressure of the sample, but it can slightly enhance the rubber mold embedding effect of the sand sample. As the loading frequency increases, the rubber mold embedding effect gradually weakens.

STUDY OF BEHAVIOR MECHANICALLY STABILIZED EARTH WALL (MSE-WALL) WITH SAND ON THE MODEL TEST IN THE LABORATORY

Different types of field conditions coupled with rapid technological developments gave birth to innovations in the construction of retaining walls. One type of landslide deterrence construction that began to be developed in Indonesia is the Mechanically Stabilized Earth Wall or often called the MSE wall. The main components of the MSE wall are backfill material, lateral reinforcement and facing panel. In this final project, research will be conducted to observe the behavior of MSE wall systems on a laboratory scale.The study was conducted by planning the innovation of the facing panel form and the variation in the number of reinforcement layers. The variations of reinforcement are 1 layer, 2 layers, 3 layers, 4 layers and without reinforcement. The reinforcement used is sack as a substitute for geotextile woven with selected pile material is sand. In testing the prototype of the MSE wall, a dial gauge is used to find out the deformation, while for loading it uses a jack-push tool.From these tests, the data obtained in the form of shifts, lateral stresses, and the maximum load of the results of the study showed that the application of reinforcement can affect the amount of lateral stress, shifting, and load. The minimum lateral stress is 0.023 kg/cm2 and the maximum load that can be held by the MSE wall is 75 kg.

Effect of Fiber Reinforcement on the Compression and Flexural Strength of Fiber-Reinforced Geopolymers

This work aimed to determine the effect of the addition of different types of reinforcing fibers on the strength properties of geopolymers such as flexural and compressive strength. Geopolymers are an attractive alternative to conventional binders and building materials; however, one of the main problems of their widespread use is their low resistance to brittle fracture. To improve the mechanical properties, reinforcement in the form of glass, carbon, and basalt fibers (as grids) was applied to geopolymers in the following work. Additionally, composites with these fibers were produced not only in the matrix of pure geopolymer but also as a hybrid variant with the addition of cement. Furthermore, basalt grids were used as reinforcement for geopolymers not only based on ash but also metakaolin. An additional variable used in the study was the molar concentration of the alkali solution (5 M and 10 M) for the different types of geopolymer samples. The mechanical properties of geopolymer materials and geopolymer–cement hybrids are the highest when reinforcement in the form of carbon fiber is used. Strength values for geopolymers reinforced with basalt mats depend on the number of reinforcement layers and the concentration of the alkaline solution used. All produced composites were tested for compressive strength and bending strength. When using basalt mesh, it was possible to achieve a bending strength of 12 MPa. The highest compressive strength that was achieved was the value of 66 MPa, while for samples not reinforced with fibers, only about 40 MPa was achieved.

Flexural Behavior of Polyurethane Concrete Reinforced by Carbon Fiber Grid.

In view of the problems of traditional repair materials for anchorage concrete of expansion joints, such as ease of damage and long maintenance cycles, the design of polyurethane concrete was optimized in this article, which could be used for rapid repair of concrete in anchorage zone of expansion joints. A new type of carbon fiber grid–polyurethane concrete system was designed, which makes the carbon fiber grid have an excellent synergistic effect with the quick-hardening and high-strength polyurethane concrete, and improved the flexural bearing capacity of the polyurethane concrete. Through the four-point bending test, the influence of the parameters such as the number of grid layers, grid width, and grid density on the flexural bearing capacity of polyurethane concrete beams was tested. The optimum preparation process parameters of carbon fiber grid were obtained to improve the flexural performance of polyurethane concrete. Compared with the Normal specimen, C-80-1’s average flexural strength increased by 47.7%, the failure strain along the beam height increased by 431.1%, and the failure strain at the bottom of the beam increased by 68.9%. The best width of the carbon fiber grid was 80 mm, and the best number of reinforcement layers was one layer. The test results show that the carbon fiber grid could improve the flexural bearing capacity of polyurethane concrete. The carbon fiber grid–polyurethane concrete system provides a new idea for rapid repair of the anchorage zone of bridge expansion joints, and solves the problems such as ease of damage and long maintenance cycles of traditional repair materials, which can be widely used in the future.

The Influence of CFRP Sheets on the Load-Bearing Capacity of the Glued Laminated Timber Beams under Bending Test.

Composite materials are increasingly used to strengthen existing structures or new load-bearing elements, also made of timber. In this paper, the effect of the number of layers of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) on the load-bearing capacity and stiffness of Glued Laminated Timber beams was determined. Experimental research was performed on 32 elements—a series of eight unreinforced beams, and three series of eight reinforced beams: with one, three and five layers of laminate each. The beams with a cross-section of 38 mm × 80 mm and a length of 750 mm were subjected to the four-point bending test according to standard procedure. For each series, destructive force, deflection, mode of failure, and equivalent stiffness were determined. In addition, for the selected samples, X-ray computed tomography was performed before and after their destruction to define the quality of the interface between wood and composite. The results of the conducted tests and analyses showed that there was no clear relationship between the number of reinforcement layers and the load-bearing capacity of the beams and their stiffness. Unreinforced beams failed due to tension, while reinforced CFRP beams failed due to shear. Despite this, a higher energy of failure of composite-reinforced elements was demonstrated in relation to the reference beams.

Experimental Study on the Axial Tensile Properties of FRP Grid-Reinforced ECC Composites.

The axial tensile properties of FRP mesh-reinforced ECC composites (TRE) were investigated experimentally under the consideration of four influencing factors: grid type, number of reinforcement layers, ECC matrix thickness, and sticky sand treatment on the grid surface. The test results showed that the axial stiffness and tensile strength of the composite were significantly increased, and the tensile properties were significantly improved under the effect of FRP grid reinforcement. Increasing the thickness of the ECC matrix can obviously improve the crack resistance of composites. The ultimate tensile strength of FRP lattice-reinforced ECC composites increased significantly with the increase in the number of lattice layers, but had no significant effect on the crack resistance. The tensile properties of CFRP grid-reinforced ECC composites were slightly better compared to BFRP grid-reinforced ECC composites. The crack resistance and ultimate tensile strength of the composites were slightly improved by impregnating the surface of the FRP grid with adhesive-bonded sand treatment. Based on the experimental data, the tensile stress–strain constitutive model of FRP grid-reinforced ECC composites is established. The calculation results show that the theoretical values of the model agree well with the experimental values. Therefore, it can be used to reflect the stress–strain change state of FRP lattice-reinforced ECC composites during axial tension.

Construction analysis of non-pneumatic tires

Non-pneumatic tires are not a new construction. The first information about them appeared before the invention of pneumatic tires. Appropriate materials and design for the flexible structure and band of modern non-pressure wheels are designed to mimic the functions of compressed air of a pneumatic tire. Mentioning the elements of the wheel structure will determine the nature of the load carring. Mentioning the elements of the wheel structure will determine the nature of the load transfer. Currently, the dominant form of flexible structure are: single spokes and a cellular structure made of polygons. The band comprises at least one reinforcement layer of inextensible material. The number of reinforcement layers and their shape will influence the behavior of the wheel during loading. Keywords: mechanical engineering, non-pneumatic tire, wheel