Abstract
Effects of the height of the transversal member of tensile reinforcement on the pull-out resistance were evaluated experimentally. Despite a limited extent of test condition, the test results indicate that, due to a large height of the transversal member, a geocell could exhibit a higher pull-out resistance than ordinary geogrids. It was also found that this advantageous feature can be fully taken by increasing the longitudinal tensile stiffness of geocell. The seismic stability of an integral bridge having backfill reinforced with geocell layers connected to the facing was evaluated by performing a shaking table test. The test results showed that the seismic stability of integral bridge increases considerably by reinforcing the backfill with a geocell, but the increased seismic stability was not as large as the one attained by reinforcing the backfill with geogrid layers. It is suggested that the seismic stability can increase by increasing the longitudinal tensile stiffness of a geocell that reinforces the backfill.
