Coupled discrete and finite-element modelling of geosynthetic tubes filled with granular material Available to Purchase

This paper presents the results of numerical modelling of geosynthetic tubes filled with granular material. In the present study, a numerical model coupling discrete and finite elements was used to describe the behaviour of the encapsulated granular media using clusters and the behaviour of the geosynthetic membrane using finite elements. Initially, a simple compressive loading was applied to the geosynthetic tube to establish the influence of the main parameters governing the mechanical behaviour of the tube. Next, a more complex behaviour was studied by considering an additional lateral action imposed by the backfill of the structure, showing that the influence of the backfill cannot be neglected in the analysis. In the third part of the numerical modelling, a bending test was performed to study the behaviour of the tube in the environment of localised sinkholes. The numerical results were validated by comparison with analytical formulations and were supported by the experimental results described in each section of the analysis. The obtained results and comparisons were reasonably good and a discussion of all the results completes the paper.