An Outdoor Earth-tank Experiment Concerning Frost-heaving Prevention Measures for Reinforced Earth Walls Using Geotextile Materials

Abstract

Many reinforced earth walls using geotextile materials have been constructed in recent years. While the deformation of such earth walls due to frost heaving has been reported in cold regions, hardly any studies have been conducted concerning measures against the phenomenon. Accordingly, five types of full-size model were created with a focus on replacement, drainage and heat insulation to measure wall displacement, geotextile strain, soil temperature, embankment freezing conditions and other factors in winter conditions when embankment material freezes, and were compared with the standard method adopted to establish frost-heaving prevention measures for reinforced walls using geotextile materials. The results indicated the possibility of controlling deformation related to frost heaving by combining replacement and heat insulation measures.