• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.105-112
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• 2011

This paper presents the numerical modelling technique for modeling the time-dependent behavior of geosynthetic reinforced soil wall under a sustained load. The applicability of power law-based creep models for modeling the creep deformations of geogrid and reinforced soil was first examined. The modeling approach was then used to simulate the long-term performance of a geosynthetic reinforced soil wall used in a bridge abutment. The results indicated that the power law-based models can be effectively used for modelling the long term behavior of geosynthetic reinforced walls under sustained loading. In addition, it was shown that, when using creep deformation susceptible backfill soils, the abutment wall and the sill beam may experience deformations exceeding allowable limits. Practical implications of the findings from this study are discussed in great detail.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.25 no.12
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• pp.131-142
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• 2009

Geosynthetic reinforced soil walls are well recognized alternatives to conventional retaining walls due to many advantages in terms of ease of construction, economy, and aesthetics, among others. In recent years, the use of back-to-back (BTB) geosynthetic reinforced soil walls has been increasing for roadway and railway construction. However, there are insufficient studies concerning the behavior of BTB type geosynthetic reinforced soil walls. In this study a series of finite element analysis were performed for BTB walls with various wall geometry and reinforcement distribution. The results were then analyzed to relate the wall geometry and reinforcement distribution and the performance of BTB walls. Optimum reinforcement pattern was also investigated.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.13-19
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• 2004

This paper presents the results of an investigation on the failure mechanism of geosynthetic-reinforced segmental retaining walls in tiered arrangement using reduced-scale model tests. In this laboratory model tests, a reduced scale model of the full-scale geosynthetic-reinforced wall which was constructed in Geotechnical Experimental Site at Sungkyunkwan University was used to perform a study on the failure mechanism. In order to a high degree of realism, the geometry of the wall and the material properties were selected applying Similitude Laws was used to perform laboratory model tests. And contrary to the previous failure tests with various surcharge pressures, the failure by the tired wall weight was observed. Primary variables considered in the model tests include the different offset distance between the tiers and the different reinforcement length in the lower tier and as a result of the parametric study, a different failure pattern was observed.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.43-51
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• 2012

This paper describes the stability evaluation of reinforced earth wall using geosynthetic strip based on field test. The wall facing, which is applied in field, is able to present excellent scenery, and the reinforcement has improvement effect of pullout resistance based on rounded band anchor. The measurement is conducted according to construction elapsed time of structure for earth pressure, horizontal displacement of wall facing and reinforcement strain in field test. The evaluation results show that the measured earth pressure is less than theoretical earth pressure due to dispersion effect of earth pressure by geosynthetic strip. The horizontal displacement of wall facing is also satisfied a empirical criteria. The measured strain of reinforcement had nearly no effect on stability of the reinforced earth wall. Therefore, the geosynthetic strip with rounded band anchor can be applied in the reinforced earth wall, and the reinforced earth wall with geosynthetic strip can be commonly used in field because it has a structural stability.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.179-188
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• 2018

A new style of panel-type reinforced earth wall is a more integrated structure by connecting the geosynthetic strip reinforcement with a folding groove directly to the front panel through C-shaped insertion hole embedded in the panel. In this study, field measurements were conducted on two reinforced earth walls constructed at different sites to assess the field applicability and structural stability of the new style of panel-type reinforced earth wall. The horizontal displacement of the front panel, tensile deformation of the geosynthetic strip reinforcement, and horizontal earth pressure acting on the panel were measured and analyzed through the field measurements. According to the field measurements, after completion of the reinforced earth wall construction, the maximum horizontal earth pressure applied to the front panel was less than two-thirds of the Rankine earth pressure, and the maximum horizontal displacement of the front panel was less than 0.5% of the wall height, and the maximum tensile strain generated on the reinforcement was less than 1.0%. Therefore, it was found that two reinforced earth walls constructed at different sites remained stable.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2006.03a
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• pp.121-130
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• 2006

Despite a number of advantages of reinforced earth walls over conventional concrete retaining walls, there exit concerns over long-term residual deformation when used as part of permanent structures. In view of these concerns, time-dependant deformation characteristics of geosynthetic reinforced modular block walls under sustained loads were investigated using reduced-scale model tests. The results indicated that a sustained load can yield appreciable magnitude of residual deformation, and that the magnitude of residual deformation depends on the loading characteristic as well as reinforcement stiffness.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.15-26
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• 2010

This paper presents the results of a three-dimensional finite element analysis on a geosynthetic-reinforced bridge abutment. Examples on the use of mechanically stabilized earth bridge abutment in north America are first presented. A three-dimensional finite element analysis on a 4.8 m high, 14 m wide geosynthetic-reinforced bridge abutment was performed to investigate the 3D behavior of the geosynthetic-reinforced bridge abutment and the load carrying capacity of the bridge abutment in the three-dimensional space. The results are then presented in a way that the three-dimensional behavior of the abutment can be identified in terms of wall displacements and reinforcement forces. It is shown that the wall facing displacements as well as the reinforcement forces in the abutment are smaller than those computed based on a plane strain approximation.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.565-575
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• 2016

Geosynthetics reinforced soil (GRS) walls constructed on weak grounds may change in both the horizontal earth pressure and deformation on wall facing. However, only few studies were done in the literature to measure and analyze the horizontal external deformation behavior of GRS walls constructed on soft grounds for a long period of time. The present study describes the external deformation behavior of GRS walls observed for 12-year long-term performance. The horizontal deformation of the geosynthetics-wrapped-facing GRS walls shows a passive behavior along one third of the wall height, from top going downwards, and active behavior for the rest of the wall height. Even if the geogrid and nonwoven geotextiles are exposed directly to sunlight and rainfalls in a span of 12 years, they have functioned well as wall facing. Therefore, the geosynthetic reinforcement material is strong enough to resist ultraviolet rays.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.39-49
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• 2005

In this study, the fifteen month behavior of two geosynthetic reinforced walls which was constructed on the shallow weak ground was measured and analyzed. The walls were backfilled with clayey soil obtained from the construction site nearby, and the safety factors obtained from general limit equilibrium analysis were less than 1.3 in both wall. The measured and analyzed data were horizontal earth pressures, strain of reinforcements, and excess pore water pressures. The used reinforcements were nonwoven geotextile, woven geotextile and geogrid. Although the length of reinforcement was only 30% of wall height and the safety factors of the walls were less than 1.3, the walls were constructed without any problems on the such weak ground. The analysis results showed that the maximum strain of reinforcements were negligible and the strain was between 2.3 and 6.0% according to tensile characteristic of the reinforcements. The excess pore water pressure was not changed due to the rainfall and the horizontal earth pressures in upper and lower part of the walls were larger than the active and the rest pressure.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.17-23
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• 2007

To construct an ideal geosynthetic reinforced soil retaining wall (GRS-RW), the facing of the wall should be flexible enough to accommodate a large deformation of the supporting ground and to develop the large tensile force in reinforcements during wall construction as long as the stability is ensured, but should be rigid enough to be stiff and stable as well as durable and aesthetically acceptable for a long life time when the wall is in service. Facing conditions during the construction and service of the wall are quite different. So it is difficult to be satisfied all these conditions with the current construction method which is mainly used in reinforced wall construction in Korea. Most of this contradiction could be solved by the staged construction procedure. According to the results of cases and references analyses, stage construction procedures make it possible to accommodate large deformation of the supporting ground and backfill without losing the stability of the wall, and to derive the tensile strength of reinforcement causing deformation of the facing. When the facing is a full-height rigid one, it also appeared almost impossible to occur a local shear failure of the active zone, and pull-out failure of reinforcements. Therefore, GRS-RWs having a full-height rigid facing have been constructed by the staged construction procedures that matched well with the theory of reinforced soil, which had outstanding stability and durability, and thus could be used for railways and bridge abutments in Korea in the future.