Applicability of seismic design methods for geogrid reinforced road embankment during actual earthquake

Abstract

This paper deals with the results from stability analyses of geogrid reinforced road embankment that remains without any damage during Kushiro Offshore Earthquake (Jan. 15 1993; M_j=7.8) in Japan. The earthquake's epicenter was located approximately 33km from the embankment, and the horizontal acceleration at the embankment site is estimated more than 310gal. The embankment under study has the following features: height: 5.5m, face slope: 73.3°, reinforcement: geogrids of type SR-55, wall face material: expanded metal, height of upper unreinforced embankment section: 1.2m. The analyses are conducted according to the seismic design method of Public Works Research Institute compared with Geogrid Research Boad's method.