MODEL TEST ON STRESS AND DEFORMATION CHARACTERISTICS OF FLEXIBLE RETAINING WALL WITH FINE SAND FILLER

Relying on the Dhaka Expressway in Bangladesh,the model test was conducted in this paper to analyze the stress and deformation characteristics of the geocell-reinforced retaining wall under static loads. The earth pressure,horizontal displacement and strain on the geocells were monitored. It is found that the maximum earth pressure is found at the heel of the wall and equals 24.8 kPa. The minimum earth pressure is at middle of the wall and equals 15.8 kPa. The earth pressure on the wall back is greater than that at half the width of the wall with the same height. The concave form is found for the earth pressure distribution. The maximum horizontal displacement of the wall is found at half the height(H/2) of the wall and equals 66 mm,accounting for 2.2% of the wall width. The horizontal displacement distribution is convex,which belongs to the drum form. The maximum cell strain is at the toe of the wall. In the area below H/2,the maximum strain line of the cell develops linearly from the toe to the back of the wall,with inclined angle of 34°to the horizontal plane. In the area above H/2,this line develops along the wall back to the top of the wall. The flexible retaining wall has an internal failure mode. The failure surface is a polyline. The test results can provide a guidance for the design of the flexible retaining wall.