Numerical Analysis of Algonquin Geogrid Reinforced Soil Retaining Wall under Construction and Earthquake Loading

In this paper the finite element procedure was used to investigate the behavior of 6.1m high Algonquin geogrid reinforced soil retaining wall using the computer program Plaxis under construction and earthquake loading. Algonquin wall was constructed in Algonquin, Illinois by FHWA (Federal Highway Administration).The performance of the wall was measured during the construction using inclinometers and surface optical surveys for deflection, and strain gauges for reinforcement strain distribution. In order to investigate the effect of earthquake loading on the wall performance, the 1994 Northridge earthquake motion was applied as input ground motion in the dynamic analysis. The lateral displacement, reinforcement force and vertical stress under earthquake loading were compared to the end of construction. The results show that there is a reasonable agreement between the instrumentation measurement and the finite element analysis for the reinforcement strain distribution and lateral displacement of the wall, and the vertical stress at the just back of the facing panels is less than γz. Also, the largest lateral displacement due to earthquake loading occurs at the top of the wall

Numerical Analysis of Reinforced Embankment Over Soft Foundation

This paper describes a finite element analysis of geosynthetic reinforced embankment constructed on soft cohesive foundation under partially drained condition. The behaviour of embankment and foundation soils were simulated using the hyperbolic hardening soil model and soft soil model, respectively. In order to investigate the effect of surcharge on the embankment behaviour, a uniformly-distributed loading was considered as a surcharge after the end of construction. Construction and loading sequence and consolidation were modelled. The effects of the reinforcement stiffness on the horizontal and vertical displacements, mobilized reinforcement force and embankment failure surcharge were considered. The effect of loading rate on the embankment failure surcharge was also evaluated. It was shown that reinforcement can significantly reduce the maximum lateral deformation and increase the embankment failure surcharge

Stresses in thin, multi-layer pipes in large radial vibrations

Free, large radial oscillations of multi-layered, thin, long, pipes are investigated using the theory of finite elastic deformations. The material of each layer is assumed to be homogeneous, isotropic, hyperelastic and incompressible. Closed form solutions are obtained for the nonlinear, ordinary differential equation governing the motion of the inner surface of the cylinder pipe. The motions of the other material points can then be obtained using the incompressibility condition. It is shown that radial stress is negligible throughout the thickness of the pipe. Tangential stress distributions at different times are given as a function of the radial distance for one, two and three layer pipes