Centrifugal Test on a Reinforced Soil Wall with Flexible/Rigid Facings

Abstract:

Centrifugal tests of reinforced soil retaining wall (RSW) with flexible/rigid facings and single flexible facing on the same soft foundation soils were carried out and their working behaviors under uniform loading on top of the walls were compared. The test results show: under the self weight and surcharge loading, for the wall with flexible/rigid facings, the rigid facing remains basically vertical and the maximum foundation settlement is below the embedded anchors; whereas for the wall with flexible facing, the facing tilts forward and the maximum foundation settlement is below the wall toe; during working stage, the lateral displacement of the face and the settlement at the surface of the wall with flexible/rigid facings decrease by approximately 50% as compared to the wall with flexible facing. And the differential settlement at the surface of the former wall is much less than that of the later one; the reinforcement forces and strain of the wall with flexible/rigid facings decrease because the embedded anchors bear the lateral earth pressures acting on the rigid facing; the rigid facing at the middle height bears tensile force at the outside and the maximum bending moment; whereas, the rigid facing nearby its bottom and top bears tensile force at the inside and relatively low bending moment; the wall with flexible/rigid facings can adapt large deformation and differential settlement of the soft foundation and can undertake more working stress on the top of the wall.