Effectiveness of drainage pipe to improve seismic stability of multi-anchor wall

Abstract

Damages of the reinforced soil structure due to high ground water level by seismic wave were reported, even such soil structure has high performance against earthquake as common knowledge. This paper described the effectiveness of the drainage pipe into the anchored reinforced soil wall which has high level of ground water to improve stability of such structure during earthquake. A series of centrifugal shaking table tests was carried out to clarify the deformation mechanism of multi-anchor wall by earthquake during seepage flow. Test results showed the high seismic performance of such structure in spite of smaller degree of compaction of backfill compared with ordinary construction. Behaviors of reinforced region entirely against the earthquakes were observed. This implies that it is important for maintenance the deformation of reinforced soil wall to prevent the soil mass increasing with ground water rising in order to control an inertial force during earthquakes.