Laboratory Seismic Tests of Geotextile Wrap-Faced and Geotextile-Reinforced Segmental Retaining Walls

This paper presents shaking table test results of model geotextile wrap-faced and geotextile-reinforced segmental retaining walls that are 0.95 m wide × 2.05 m long × 0.81 m high. The model walls were subjected to horizontal base accelerations and were monitored. The model walls sustained appreciable accelerations before lateral movement occurred first at the top layer. The wrap-faced walls moved laterally after horizontal accelerations of 0.25g, while the segmental walls moved laterally after an acceleration of 0.45g. Based on the observations made during the current tests and those of other researchers, an analytical method is developed to compute the critical acceleration (i.e. the acceleration before lateral wall movement is initiated).