The influence of yielding foundations on the mechanical behaviour of reinforced soil walls including wall deformations and loads (strains) in the reinforcement layers is very complex. Based on a review of the literature, there is a need to quantify and isolate the influence of foundation boundary type and magnitude of foundation stiffness on deformations and reinforcement loads in geosynthetic reinforced soil walls. This thesis presents the results of a series of 1/6-scale reinforced soil wall model tests that were carried out to examine the influence of horizontal and vertical toe compliance and vertical foundation compressibility on wall behaviour. The heavily instrumented walls were constructed in a strongbox that was 1.2 m high by 1.6 m wide and retained soil to a distance of 2.3 m behind the facing. The models were uniformly surcharged in stages following construction. The experimental program consisted of three groups of tests. Group 1 tests involved five walls. One wall was constructed with a very stiff horizontal restraint, and three walls were constructed with different horizontal toe stiffness using combinations of coiled springs. The remaining wall in this series was constructed without any horizontal toe restraint. Group 2 was comprised of three walls. One wall was a control wall with a rigid toe. The other two walls were constructed with different vertical toe stiffness support using different combinations of rubber blocks. Group 3 included a control wall with a rigid foundation and a companion wall constructed with a compressible foam and rubber layers below the backfill soil and the wall facing. The results demonstrate that the quantitative behaviour of the models was affected by the type and magnitude of foundation stiffness. For example, as horizontal toe stiffness increased a greater portion of the total horizontal earth load against the wall facing was carried by the toe. The data showed that the shape of facing lateral deformation profiles changed from rotation about the toe for the case of a very stiff horizontal toe to a more uniform profile for the unrestrained toe case. For the case of a rigid vertical footing support below the facing, vertical toe loads were greater than those computed from facing self-weight alone due to down-drag forces developed at the facing–reinforcement connections as the wall facing moved outward. As vertical toe support stiffness decreased with respect to foundation compressibility below the soil backfill, the magnitude of soil down-drag forces diminished resulting in a decrease in vertical toe load. / Thesis (Master, Civil Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2007-10-27 12:15:56.027

Pavement foundations for major roads in the UK were historically designed on an empirical basis, related to a single design chart, restricting the incorporation of superior performing materials or materials for which the empirical data sets were not available. The adoption of performance based specifications was promoted as they are perceived to 'open up' the use of alternative materials (including 'local' sources of primary materials) or techniques, and allow for the incorporation of superior performance into the overall pavement design. Parallel developments to the performance based design of pavement foundations (allowing for superior performance) and in situ testing required the support of laboratory based performance tests. These laboratory based tests were required to determine material performance parameters (elastic modulus and resistance to permanent deformation) for both unbound and hydraulically bound pavement foundation materials. A review of the available laboratory apparatus indicated that they were either; unrealistic (and hence unable to provide the required material performance parameters), or overly complex and more suited to fundamental research. Therefore, the requirement for developmental research work was identified. The research reported herein details the development, manufacture and initial evaluation of simplified laboratory apparatus (the Springbox for unbound materials and static stiffness test for hydraulically bound mixtures) designed to produce the performance parameters of elastic modulus and relative resistance to permanent deformation for pavement foundation materials. The equipment and test procedure evaluation was undertaken across a range of materials, giving initial guidance on likely in situ performance. The innovative laboratory apparatus and materials guidance (including the potential to use recycled and secondary aggregates) was incorporated into key Highways Agency specification and guidance documents, which in turn influence construction practice outside of motorways and major trunk roads. This research concludes by outlining a number of recommendations for continued development and evaluation, including feeding back data sets from long term in situ performance testing for subsequent refinement of assumptions.