The field performance of a geotextile reinforced soil wall with concrete facing blocks

Abstract

It is known that high stability and deformation control can be assured in geotextile reinforced soil wall. if facingrigidity is improve. To verify this, a field performance test was conducted on a 8-meter high soil wall, with a face of large concrete blocks 50cm high, 100cm wide and 35cm thick. Information obtained through measurement during construction of the reinforcement materials, horizontal displacement of wall surface, settlement of wall foundation and earth fill, subgrade reaction, and lateral earth pressure is as follows.
•Approximately 1% of maximum reinforcement strain, measured at the completion of construction, is acceptable for the stability of the reinforced soil wall.
•Concrete block walls are easy to construct because of their self-supporting characteristics.
•Sub-reinforcements contribute greatly to the stability of the reinforcement soil wall.
•A 65-mm horizontal displacement in the forward direction is observed at the middle of the wall upon completion
•The foundation subgrade reaction measured at the rear of the wall is equivalent to the dead weight of the concrete blocks.
•The horizontal displacement of the wall is related to foundation settlement, it can be concluded that taking appropriate design measures is essential for soil wall foundation of this type.