Effects of reinforcement rigidity on the behavior of reinforced soil wall-embankment system on soft ground

A study was undertaken to investigate the behavior of reinforced soil wall-embankment system on soft ground through a series of parametric studies using a finite-element method of analysis. The emphasis of the parametric studies was placed on the effect of reinforced soil system rigidity to the deformation patterns and other associated behavior. System rigidity (5 r ) is reflected by both rigidity or extensibility and amount of reinforcement in the reinforced soil mass. As demonstrated by the results of finite-element analyses, there was an interaction between the reinforced soil mass and the soft ground. The response of soft ground under the embankment loading was influenced by the system rigidity of reinforced soil. Higher system rigidity led to smaller lateral movements of the soft ground than those with lower system rigidity, but had the tendency to settle more at the toe due to the rigid body rotation of the potential active zone within the reinforced soil mass. Consequently, the pattern of soft ground movements affected the outward facing movement of the reinforced soil wall. While the maximum outward facing movement decreased with increasing system rigidity for the case of reinforced soil wall on rigid ground, the same structure but on soft ground exhibited a complex pattern of deformation due to two operating mechanisms that were identified in the study. It was found that the increase in system rigidity does not necessarily result to the reduction of maximum outward facing movement when such structure is constructed on soft ground.