Pseudo-static coefficient in reinforced soil structures Available to Purchase

The selection of the appropriate horizontal seismic coefficient (k_h) considering the actual conditions governing earth structures is the foremost part of analysis in the pseudo-static approach. In spite of the importance of this issue, no specified criterion has yet been provided to select k_h for reinforced-earth structures. Therefore in this study, a series of experimental and analytical studies were performed on steel-strip-reinforced soil walls, soil-nailed walls and MSE/soil-nail hybrid retaining walls to reflect the effect of the non-uniform distribution of acceleration along the wall height on the choice of k_h in reinforced soil structures. In the first step, the values of maximum horizontal acceleration (MHA) corresponding to failure (MHA)_y, the axial force distribution along the reinforcements at the failure stage and the pattern of wedge failure for each reinforced wall were found by shaking table tests. Then, by using a developed pseudo-static approach based on the horizontal slice method with a new formulation and considering the results obtained from laboratory model tests, the distribution of k_h along the wall height was determined and the average seismic coefficient (k_h)_ave. for all three reinforced soil structures was separately introduced as a function of MHA at different height levels.