A simple method to evaluate the pullout resistance of extruded geogrids.pdf

ARTICLE IN PRESS0266-1144/$ - se doi:10.1016/j.ge
Correspond E-mail addr gioffre@ing.unGeotextiles and Geomembranes 24 (2006) 116–128 /locate/geotexmemA simple method to evaluate the pullout resistance of extruded geogrids embedded in a compacted granular soil Nicola Moraci
, Domenico Gioffre? Universita? Mediterranea di Reggio Calabria, Dip. MECMAT, via Graziella Loc. Feo di Vito, I-89060 Reggio Calabria, Italy Received 28 February 2005; received in revised form 26 September 2005; accepted 15 November 2005 Available online 10 January 2006Abstract Pullout tests are necessary in order to study the interaction behaviour between soil and geosynthetics in the anchorage zone; hence, the resulting properties have direct implications on the design of reinforced soil structures. Several experimental studies showed the influence of different parameters (reinforcement stiffness, geometry and length, applied vertical effective stress, and geotechnical properties of soil) on the peak and on residual pullout resistance. On the basis of the results of the tests carried out by Moraci and Recalcati [2005. Factors affecting the pullout behaviour of extruded geogrids embedded in a compacted granular soil. Geotextiles and Geomembranes, submitted for publication], a new theoretical method was developed to determine the peak and the residual pullout resistance of extruded geogrids embedded in a compacted granular soil. The method is capable of evaluating both the bearing and the frictional components of pullout resistance, taking into account the reinforcement extensibility and geometry as well as the non-linearity of the failure envelope of backfill soil. The comparison between theoretical and experimental results was favourable, thus confirming the suitability of the proposed approach. r 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Soil dilatancy; Reinforcement extensibility; Pullout resistance; Skin friction; Bearing resistance1. Introduction The main interaction mechanisms aff