Les géosynthétiques (GSY) sont des matériaux polymériques utilisés dans la construction d’ouvrages géotechniques et environnementaux, en remplacement et/ou en complément de matériaux naturels. Dans les installations de stockage de déchets non dangereux (ISDND), les GSY sont utilisés comme dispositif d’étanchéité et de drainage (barrière de sécurité) afin de prévenir les infiltrations de lixiviats vers la nappe phréatique.De nos jours, la rareté des sites adaptés à la construction de nouvelles ISDND conduit de nombreux opérateurs à opter pour la création de casiers de stockage en appui sur d’anciens casiers. Dans ces ouvrages en rehausse (extensions d’ISDND), une barrière de sécurité est généralement disposée entre les anciens casiers et les nouveaux casiers. Toutefois, dans cette configuration spécifique, les risques d’instabilité au glissement translationnel de l’ouvrage sont favorisés par la présence de plusieurs interfaces GSY représentant autant de surfaces de glissement préférentielles. Par ailleurs, ces risques sont accentués par le caractère compressible des déchets qui favorise l’apparition de tassements différentiels et/ou d’effondrements localisés (formation de cavités) sous la barrière de sécurité, susceptibles d’engendrer une perte d’intégrité (tensions / déformations excessives) de cette dernière. Dès lors, la compréhension des mécanismes associés à ces phénomènes de glissement translationnel et de déformation des GSY apparait capitale pour la réussite d’un tel projet.Dans ce contexte, les travaux objet du présent mémoire de thèse se sont attachés à mieux appréhender le comportement mécanique des systèmes GSY et de leurs interactions. Cette analyse a été effectuée sous l’angle de la stabilité au glissement translationnel (à l’échelle de l’ouvrage : grande échelle) et de l’intégrité structurelle des GSY au sein des barrières de sécurité sur cavité (petite échelle).Pour y parvenir, une analyse multi-approches associant étude analytique, modélisation numérique et étude expérimentale a été mise en oeuvre.Tout d’abord, le volet analytique a porté sur une analyse comparative de dix méthodes utilisées pour l’évaluation de la stabilité au glissement translationnel et de huit méthodes de dimensionnement des GSY de renforcement sur cavité. Ces études comparatives ont permis non seulement d’évaluer les écarts entre ces méthodes, mais aussi d’identifier celles qui se prêtent le mieux à une application en extension d’ISDND.Ensuite, une Méthode Rationnelle de Modélisation des systèmes Géosynthétiques (MeRaMoG) a été développée afin de prendre en compte fidèlement le comportement mécanique des GSY et de leurs interfaces (notamment la non-linéarité du comportement en traction des GSY). Grâce à la MeRaMoG qui a été validée expérimentalement, les mécanismes intervenant et contrôlant les phénomènes de glissement et de déformation des barrières de sécurité sur talus et sur cavité ont été investigués.Enfin, un Dispositif Expérimental grande-échelle pour l’étude de la Performance des GSY de renforcement sur Cavité (DEPGeC) a été développé. Le DEPGeC est un prototype permettant de simuler le comportement mécanique des GSY sur une cavité rectangulaire et sous une contrainte de confinement pouvant atteindre 100 kPa. L’utilisation du DEPGeC a permis d’évaluer l’influence de la contrainte de confinement, de la raideur du GSY de renforcement et d’un ancrage rigide sur les déformations des GSY. / Geosynthetics (GSYs) are polymeric materials that are used in engineering and environmental constructions to replace or in addition to natural materials. In landfills, GSYs are used as a lining system to prevent leachate infiltration into groundwater.Nowadays, the scarcity of suitable sites to establish new landfills leads more and more landfill owners to build new landfill cells over older ones. In such type of construction commonly called piggy-back landfill, a new GSY lining system is often implemented between old and new cells. However, in this specific configuration, the risk of translational instability of the construction is increased since the lining system involved several interfaces with low shear strength. Such instability is related to the failure of the various interfaces within the GSY lining system and hence to the sliding of GSY layers on each other. Moreover, the potential occurrence of differential settlements and / or localized collapses (cavity) which are related to the compressible nature of the waste within the old cell could tear (excessive tensile forces / strains) the GSY lining system under the overload of the new waste. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms controlling translational slip phenomena and deformation of GSYs is essential to ensure a proper design of such a project.In this context, this PhD thesis focused on better understanding of the mechanical behaviour of GSY systems and their interactions. The study was conducted using firstly a global analysis (large scale, all over the piggy-back landfill) of the lining system in terms of translational slips between the various GSYs. Secondly, this study investigated the integrity of the GSY lining system subjected to a cavity (small scale analysis).To achieve this goal, a multi-approaches investigation involving analytical study, numerical modelling and experimental study was performed.First, the analytical part focused on a comparative analysis based on ten methods used to assess the factor of safety of translational slip and on eight methods used for the design of GSY reinforcement over cavities. These comparative studies have not only assessed the differences between these methods, but also identified those best suited to be applied in the context of piggy-back landfills.Then, a rigorous method (MeRaMoG) that addressed the key aspects of the mechanical behaviour of GSYs and interfaces (e.g., the nonlinear axial stiffness of GSYs), was developed for the numerical modelling of multi-layered geosynthetic systems. Through MeRaMoG which was experimentally validated, the mechanisms controlling the translational slip and deformation of the geosynthetic lining system on side slopes and cavity were investigated.Finally, a new large-scale testing device (DEPGeC) was developed to assess the efficiency of a GSY reinforcement to bridge a cavity. The DEPGeC is a prototype that was used to simulate the mechanical behaviour of multi-layered GSY systems over a rectangular cavity and under a confining load of up to 100 kPa. Using the DEPGeC, the influence of the applied vertical load, the stiffness of the GSY reinforcement and a perfect anchorage on the deformations of GSY, was investigated.

The increasing need for regional development has led engineers to find safe ways to construct the infrastructure of transportation on soft soils. Soft soil is not able to sustain external loads without having large deformations. The geotechnical properties of soft soil which is known for its low bearing capacity, high water content, high compressibility and long term settlement as well. In pavement engineering, either highway or runway as an infrastructure, a pavement encompasses three important parts namely traffic load, pavement and subgrade. Traffic load generated from tire pressure of vehicle and/or airplane wheels are usually around 550 kPa even more on the surface of the pavement. Pavement generally comprises granular materials with unbounded or bounded materials located between traffic load and subgrade, distributing the load to surface of subgrade. One of the promising soil improvement techniques is a piled embankment. When geosynthetics layer is unrolled over piles, it is known as geosynthetics supported piled embankment. Particularly in deep soft soil, when piles do not reach a hard stratum due to large thickness of the soft soil, the construction is an embankment on floating piles. Furthermore, because of different stiffness between piles and subsoil, soil arching effect would be developed there. By using Finite Element analysis, some findings resulted from experimental works and several field tests around the world as field case studies are verified. Some important findings are as follows: the stress concentration ratio is not a single value, but it would be changed depending on the height of embankment, consolidation process of subsoil, surcharge of traffic load, and tensile modulus of geosynthetics as well. Ratio height of embankment to clear piles spacing (h/s) around 1.4 can be used as a critical value to distinguish between low embankment and high embankment. When geosynthetics is applied to reinforce a pavement/embankment, the vertical distance of geosynthetics layers and number of geosynthetics layers depend on the quality of pavement material. The lower layer of geosynthetics withstands a tensile stress higher than upper layer. Primary reinforcements for geosynthetics in piled embankments are located at span between piles with maximum strains at zones of adjacent piles. Traffic load that passes through on the surface of the pavement can reduce the soil arching, but it can be restored during the off peak hours. Settlements of embankments on floating piles can accurately be modelled using the consolidation calculation type, whereas the end-bearing piles may be used the plastic calculation type. Longer piles can be effectively applied to reduce a creep. By applying length of floating piles more than 20% of soft soil depth, it would have a significant impact to reduce a creep on a deep soft soil.

Geokunststoffe sind beständige Produkte aus Polymeren, die in Boden eingelegt werden um geotechnische Probleme zu lösen. Eine Kategorie der Geokunststoffe sind Geogitter, bei denen die Längs- und Querelemente eine offene, gitterförmige Struktur bilden und die meist zur Bodenbewehrung eingesetzt werden. Ihre Verwendung zur Bewehrung von gering tragfähigen Böden für kunststoffbewehrte Erd- und Stützbauwerke kann enorme ökologische und ökonomische Vorteile bieten. Trotz der Tatsache, dass die Verwendung von Geogittern in den letzten Jahren stark zugenommen hat, sind die Grundlagen zum Bau und zur Bemessung limitiert. Besonders die Schlüsselfrage, wie Geogitter und verschiedene Lockergesteine in unterschiedlichen Belastungssituationen interagieren, ist ingenieursmäßig nur lückenhaft untersucht worden. Im Rahmen dieser Dissertation wurde deshalb in über 250 großmaßstäblichen Scher-, Herauszieh- und Reibungsversuchen das Verbundverhalten Geokunststoff/Locker¬gestein eingehend untersucht. Dazu wurden 14 handelsübliche Geogitter, die teilweise auch modifiziert wurden, in dem Interaktionsprüfgerät des Institutes für Geotechnik der TU Bergakademie Freiberg mit verschiedenen Böden systematisch getestet. Die vielen Versuchsanordnungen und die aus ihnen abgeleiteten Überlegungen und gewonnenen Erkenntnisse belegten, dass die wichtigsten Parameter interagieren, und zwar in verschiedenen Abhängigkeiten wie weitere Variationen der Bodenparameter (Kornverteilung, Wassergehalte, Verdichtung, Bindemittelzusatz etc.), der unterschiedlichen Geogitterparameter (Oberflächenbeschaffenheit, Struktur, etc.) und der Belastung gezeigt haben. Darüber hinaus wurde das Interaktionsprüfgerät für zukünftige Versuche weiterentwickelt (Entkopplung des Versuchseinbaus vom Versuchsgerät usw.). Der Fokus der Forschungsarbeit lag dabei in der Schaffung von Grundlagenkenntnissen für den gemeinsamen Einsatz von bindigen Lockergesteinen und Geokunststoffen. Bei rolligen Böden zeigte sich, dass die Rautiefe sich stärker (positiv) auf die Widerstände auswirkt als bei den bindigen Böden. Hingegen waren bei bindigen Böden die Auswirkungen durch eine Erhöhung der Querelemente deutlicher. Darüber hinaus konnte gezeigt werden, dass dreidimensionale Querelemente das Verbundverhalten verbessern und Tests an Geogittern mit einem größeren Verhältnis von Öffnungsweite zu Maschenweite zeigten höhere Adhäsionswerte. Die Reibungsversuche hatten einen gleichmäßigeren Verlauf und geringere Streuungen zwischen den unterschiedlichen Geogittern, weshalb aufgrund der deutlicheren Unterschiede zwischen den Produkten bei den Herausziehversuchen detaillierte Schlussfolgerungen gezogen werden konnten. Die vorliegende Arbeit leistet einen Beitrag zur Verbesserung der Bemessungsgrundlagen und ermöglicht ein detaillierteres Verständnis des Verbundverhaltens. Des Weiteren werden Vorschläge ausgearbeitet die im Labor erzielten Ergebnisse auf die Baupraxis zu übertragen, wie zum Beispiel durch das Vermeiden von Trennflächen zwischen Geogitter und Boden bei der Verdichtung. / Geosynthetics are durable polymeric products placed in soil to help solve civil engi-neering problems; one category of these is geogrids. Geogrids are polymers formed into an open, grid-like configuration and function primarily as soil reinforcement. Their use to reinforce soil with weak bearing capacity could have big ecological and economical advantages. Although geogrid use has grown in recent years, there is still limited design information available due to the wide variety of design configurations and soil variability. One of the key factors lacking for more widespread engineering implementation is a greater understanding of the interaction between various geogrids and soil combinations when exposed to different load effects. In more than 250 shear, pull-out, and friction tests, this interaction behavior was examined in detail. Fourteen general geogrids (sometimes additionally modified) using dif-ferent soil types were systematically tested in the Interaction Testing Device at the Geotechnical Institute of the TU Bergakademie Freiberg. Combining the huge quantity of test results with a theoretical analysis, the main parameters which affect soil behavior could be defined. Furthermore the Interaction Testing Device could be improved for test in future. Our analysis showed us that the roughness of the geogrid has more of a beneficial impact on the strength of frictional soils than it does for silty soils. Silty soils however, were more affected by the height of cross elements in the geogrid than other types. It was also observed that 3D elements in the cross machine direction improve the interaction behavior. Tests with geogrids which have a bigger ratio of opening size to mesh size showed higher adhesion values. The friction test results were more regular, had a uniform progress and had smaller differences between geogrid configurations. Therefore, conclusions with higher certainty could be drawn from the pull-out tests with the differential results. The present research contributes to the limited design information to help provide a better understanding of the interaction behavior. Furthermore, suggestions are given to use the laboratory detected results in real-world applications, one of which is the way of compaction to minimize the potential for creating a slip-surface between the geogrid and soil.

Öffentlich Private Partnerschaften (PPP) werden als Mittel zur Mobilisierung brach liegender Grundstücke thematisiert. Eine zentrale Rolle spielt der Begriff der „Initialbrachfläche“. Erfährt die Initialbrache einen öffentlichen Nutzungszweck mit Hilfe einer PPP, hat dies positive Auswirkungen auf benachbarte Brachen in einem definierten Umfeld. Am Beispiel des Chemnitztales mit seinem hohen Brachenbestand wurde ein PPP Projekt konzipiert. Es wird weiterhin eingegangen auf Aspekte privaten und privatwirtschaftlichen Engagements für Altstandorte und Brachen, z.B. unter dem Schlagwort Corporate Social Responsibility. Darüber hinaus wird die naturschutzrechtliche Eingriffsregelung angesprochen: Ausgleich für Flächeninanspruchnahme soll künftig verstärkt zugunsten der Renaturierung von Altstandorten erfolgen. Schließlich wird die technische Neuentwicklung eines Geokunststoff Gabions vorgestellt, bei dem Bauschutt aus Flächenrecyclingprojekten als Füllmaterial eingesetzt wird. Als Einsatzbereich des transportablen Geokunststoff Gabions wird ein mobiles Hochwasserschutzsystem skizziert.

Efficient road network and connectivity play vital role in the development of any country. Majority of the rural roads are unpaved and connectivity of rural roads is always a major challenge. Unpaved roads are also used for temporary transportation facilities like access roads, haul roads for mines, forest roads and parking lots. Since these roads do not have asphalt surfacing, they are subjected to early failures due to distresses like rutting, pot holes and depressions . Stabilization of unpaved roads using geosynthetics has been proved to be promising in increasing the lifespan of these roads because they facilitate economical, aesthetic and effective design of the roads. Inclusion of geosynthetic layers at the interface of subgrade soil and granular sub-base, reduces the surface heave, ensures a better stress distribution and reduces the stresses transferred to the subgrade soil, as demonstrated by earlier researchers. Wide variety of geosynthetics like woven and nonwoven geotextiles, uniaxial and biaxial geogrids and geocells are used as reinforcement in road sections. Geotextiles improve the strength by interfacial friction, lateral restraint and membrane effect. Geogrids provide additional benefit of interlocking. Geocells are honeycomb shaped geosynthetic cellular confining systems filled with aggregates in which the reinforcement action is derived not only by friction and interlocking, but also by confinement. Load-deformation characteristics of reinforced soil-aggregate systems under static, repeated and cyclic loads is a potential topic of interest considering the fact that the design of geosynthetic reinforced unpaved roads is still under development and experimentation. The objective of the present study is to understand the beneficial use of geosynthetics in unpaved roads and to provide clear insight into the influence of geosynthetics on the cyclic loading characteristics of unpaved roads through laboratory experiments. California Bearing Ratio (CBR) tests were carried out on unreinforced and reinforced soil-aggregate systems to study the effect of various parameters such as type of reinforcement, form of reinforcement, quantity of reinforcement, and water content of the subgrade soil on the load-penetration response of the various systems. Modified CBR tests were also carried out to understand the influence of boundary of the mould and anchorage of reinforcement on the behavior of reinforced soil-aggregate systems. Behavior of unreinforced and reinforced soil-aggregate systems under repeated and cyclic loading is also studied to understand the resilience of the composite systems. From the measured stress-strain response, the elastic and plastic strains developed in various systems are compared. Different moduli such as secant modulus, cyclic modulus and resilient modulus are computed for different systems and compared. To investigate the effectiveness of geosynthetics in improving the load - bearing capacity, repeated load tests were carried out on model sections of unpaved road constructed in a steel test tank of size 750 mm × 750 mm × 620 mm. The effect of various parameters like the form of reinforcement, quantity of reinforcement, height of geocell layer and the position of geocell layer on the load-deformation behaviour of the unpaved model road sections was studied. Static and cyclic triaxial tests were carried out on unreinforced and reinforced granular sub-base materials to understand their stress strain behavior under static and cyclic loading conditions. The influence of quantity and form of reinforcement on the stress-strain behaviour of these materials was studied. From the studies it is observed that the use of reinforcement increases the CBR value of the soil-aggregate systems. Studies with two different sizes of CBR moulds indicated that the boundary effect in the standard CBR mould leads to the overestimation of the CBR value, resulting in unconservative design of road sections. Providing anchorage to the reinforcement in CBR tests did not produce an appreciable change in the load-penetration behavior. From the repeated load tests it was observed that the reinforced systems did not show any improvement in the load-deformation behaviour at low levels of rut depth. At higher rut depths, the reinforced systems developed less plastic settlements and more elastic settlements and low resilient modulus compared to unreinforced systems. From the model tests on unpaved road sections, it was observed that the improvement in the cyclic load resistance of the road due to the inclusion of geocell layer depends on the height of the geocell layer and its position. Increasing the height of geocell layer resulted in improved performance up to certain height of the geocell layer, beyond which, further increase in the height reduced the load resistance because of the inadequate granular overlay thickness and inadequate compaction of aggregate within the geocell pockets. Static and cyclic triaxial tests showed that the geogrid and geocell reinforced granular sub-base material sustained higher peak stresses and exhibited increase in modulus compared to the unreinforced specimens. Results of element and model tests carried out in this study gave important insight into the load-deformation characteristics of reinforced soil-aggregate systems under static, repeated and dynamic loads. The results provide guidelines regarding the selection of type, quantity and configuration of geosynthetic reinforcement while designing unpaved roads and the expected performance of these reinforced unpaved roads.

Öffentlich Private Partnerschaften (PPP) werden als Mittel zur Mobilisierung brach liegender Grundstücke thematisiert. Eine zentrale Rolle spielt der Begriff der „Initialbrachfläche“. Erfährt die Initialbrache einen öffentlichen Nutzungszweck mit Hilfe einer PPP, hat dies positive Auswirkungen auf benachbarte Brachen in einem definierten Umfeld. Am Beispiel des Chemnitztales mit seinem hohen Brachenbestand wurde ein PPP Projekt konzipiert. Es wird weiterhin eingegangen auf Aspekte privaten und privatwirtschaftlichen Engagements für Altstandorte und Brachen, z.B. unter dem Schlagwort Corporate Social Responsibility. Darüber hinaus wird die naturschutzrechtliche Eingriffsregelung angesprochen: Ausgleich für Flächeninanspruchnahme soll künftig verstärkt zugunsten der Renaturierung von Altstandorten erfolgen. Schließlich wird die technische Neuentwicklung eines Geokunststoff Gabions vorgestellt, bei dem Bauschutt aus Flächenrecyclingprojekten als Füllmaterial eingesetzt wird. Als Einsatzbereich des transportablen Geokunststoff Gabions wird ein mobiles Hochwasserschutzsystem skizziert.