Building Blocks & Critical Height Of Geosynthetic Reinforced Segmental Retaining Walls

Some important problems of geosynthetic reinforced segmental retaining walls used for beautifying landscape, such as the instability mechanism of wall consisted of new-style building blocks of bionic granite and the utmost wall height of one layer of building blocks, are discussed and researched systemically by means of test, numerical simulation and theory analysis in the dissertation. Main contents are listed as followed.(1)A new type of building blocks of bionic granite is developed innovatively in our country, and this block is researched by means of numerical simulation and engineering test. The results show that connective strength between building blocks and grids is linearly with vertical pressure and satisfies the need of engineering in practice. Unique back structure changes action mode of configurable force. The shear strength is provided adequately in any parts of block structure.(2)According to equal distance and equal strength of distribution of geogrid, distortion and force of new-style blocks of bionic granite structure are compared in virtue of numerical simulation. The results show that horizontal geogrid make engineering properties of backfill zone layered, and tension fracture of block structure is in existence. Gradual development and expand of tension crack induce that the structure of building blocks possibly has two destructive mechanical models: rip-slippage and outshoot-slippage.(3) Based on the force character and the instability mechanism of geosynthetic reinforced segmental retaining walls, mathematical expressions of calculating critical height of normal building blocks is obtained in terms of basal principle of limit analyses. Influencing factors on the utmost height of geosynthetic reinforced segmental retaining are analyzed by SCE-UA method, and terse formula for critical height of geosynthetic reinforced segmental retaining walls is established by numerical fitting.(4) By analyzing strengthening mechanism of root system for segmental retaining walls, numerical model for root strengthening is deduced theoretically. Based on this, the effect of root strengthening depth on critical height of segmental retaining walls is analyzed. The results show that the stability of low filling is developed by the root , the lateral pressure due to the filled soil in the horizontal level, is decreased, and critical height of geosynthetic reinforced segmental retaining walls are increased.