Some comments on reinforced earth design

Damage of steel piles and concrete pile caused by the driving of the piles are discussed in the paper and the precautions which can be taken to prevent or to reduce the damage. A large number of factors can contribute to the damage to the piles such as excessive height of fall of the hammer, eccentricity of the driving force, initial straightness of the piles, stones or boulders in the soil or steeply sloping bedding planes and overdriving as discussed in the paper. Some case records are presented where piles have been damaged during the installation. For designing a reinforced earth structure, it is essential to know the location of potential failure surface and the magnitude of the required reinforcement tension force to evaluate the internal stability of the system. The effect of the reinforcement on the potential failure surface and lateral earth pressure of reinforced soil mass are explained by the earth pressure theory. The practical methods of design are also recommended. Some technical comments on the consideration of strain compatibility are also given.