Em geral, as recomendações normativas sugerem a utilização de materiais granulares para a construção de estruturas em solo reforçado, principalmente devido à sua elevada resistência ao cisalhamento e boa capacidade de drenagem. No entanto, nem sempre há disponibilidade deste tipo de material no entorno das obras, tornando o uso dos solos finos imperativo para a viabilização desta solução. No Brasil, solos residuais finos são encontrados em abundância e, muitas vezes, apresentam excelentes parâmetros de resistência ao cisalhamento e baixa compressibilidade. Contudo, o seu uso pode induzir poro-pressões indesejáveis durante a construção ou cisalhamento do aterro reforçado. Por outro lado, as elevadas sucções matriciais que podem persistir em seu interior geram um aumento na estabilidade dos maciços reforçados. Neste contexto, este trabalho apresenta os resultados experimentais e discute o efeito da variação climática (umedecimento e secagem) na resistência de interface solo coesivo-fita polimérica de uma estrutura de contenção em solo reforçado. Os ensaios foram realizados com amostras compactadas de um solo residual de gnaisse típico da cidade de São Paulo e uma fita polimérica de alta aderência. Os corpos de prova foram submetidos a ensaios de cisalhamento direto e de arrancamento sob três diferentes níveis de tensão normal e de sucção, além da condição inundada. Ensaios triaxiais saturados (CU) e não saturados (CW) foram realizados para a determinação da envoltória de resistência tridimensional do solo, avaliação da eficiência da interação solo-reforço e para a verificação do comportamento da água intersticial durante o cisalhamento. Os resultados indicam que o solo coesivo em questão apresenta excelentes parâmetros de resistência ao cisalhamento, elevada capacidade de se manter sob pressões negativas da água intersticial e uma eficiente interação com as fitas poliméricas, o que possibilitaria a execução de estruturas estáveis quanto ao arrancamento dos reforços. Além disso, sugerem um crescimento não linear da máxima resistência de interface com o aumento da sucção matricial do solo e uma tendência de redução dos coeficientes de atrito aparente solo-reforço (f*) com o umedecimento das amostras. Porém, mostraram que a sucção matricial exerce pouca influência na resistência residual da interface solo reforço. / Current specifications for reinforced soil structures generally require the use of granular backfill due to their high strength, well drainage capacity and low volume change potential. However, in cases where granular fills are not easily and readily available, poorly draining soils should be used to enable the implementation of a mechanically stabilized earth wall (MSEW). In Brazil, the fine-grained residual soils that cover large areas of its territory frequently present high shear strengths and low compressibility. However, the use of cohesive soils can cause unwanted effects in structure stability due to the water content variations of the backfill soil, and the potential development of pore-water pressures or loss of strength. On the other hand, matric suctions may increase the soil-geosynthetic interface shear strength. In this context, this study presents the experimental results and discusses the effects of seasonal climatic variations (wetting and drying) on shear strength of soil-geosynthetic straps interfaces under unsaturated conditions. For the laboratory investigation, a compacted residual soil of gneiss composed of 80% silty sand passed through a 0.075mm sieve, sourced from São Paulo city, and a high-tenacity polyester strap were used. Direct shear and pullout tests were conducted with three different net normal stresses and levels of matric suction, besides the inundated condition. Triaxial tests under saturated (CU) and unsaturated (CW) conditions with suction measurement using a high capacity tensiometer were performed in order to evaluate the shear strength parameters of the unsaturated soil, the interface efficiency of the soil-geosynthetic strap and the pore water pressure variations during shear. The results indicate that the cohesive soil used in this study has excellent shear strength parameters, a high capacity to maintain negative pore water pressures and presents an efficient interaction with the geosynthetics straps, which would allow the implementation of a stable MSEW for failure by pullout. Furthermore they reveal that the peak shear strength of the soil-geosynthetic strap interface increases nonlinearly with the soil suction, while the apparent friction factor (f*) decreases with the increase in molding moisture contents. On the other hand, the effect of suction on the post-peak shear strength of the interface was negligible.

Neste trabalho analisa-se o comportamento de duas configurações de liners através da percolação com solução de \'K\'CL\'. São utilizadas amostras de solo compactadas, do interior do estado de São Paulo, provenientes da Formação Corumbataí, combinadas a um geocomposto bentonítico (GCL) de fabricação nacional. São utilizados ensaios em coluna de percolação em dois corpos-de-prova, nas configurações: solo compactado acima do GCL e solo compactado abaixo do GCL. Esses ensaios permitiram a determinação da condutividade hidráulica e dos parâmetros de transporte dos materiais estudados. Dessa forma, compara-se o comportamento desses materiais combinados com os resultados obtidos por Musso (2008), que adotou a configuração independente. Após o início da percolação com solução \'K\'CL\' a condutividade hidráulica (\'K\') das duas configurações apresentou comportamento crescente. No entanto, este aumento no \'K\' não afetou o desempenho hidráulico dos materiais, e a condutividade hidráulica mostrou-se com valores da ordem de \'10 POT.-11\' m/s. O fator de retardamento da configuração na qual o GCL encontra-se acima da camada de solo compactado se mostrou maior com relação à outra configuração analisada. No geral, considerou-se que esta configuração apresentou melhor desempenho como liner composto. Na comparação dos resultados obtidos nesta pesquisa com os apresentados por Musso (op. cit.) a condutividade hidráulica não diferiu, e as configurações de liner compostos apresentaram maiores fatores de retardamento do que o liner do solo compactado isoladamente. / This research analyzes the behavior of two sets of liners subjected to the percolation of \'K\'CL\' solution. Samples of compacted soil from Corumbataí Formation, combined with a geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) of brazilian manufacture were used. Column percolation tests were used in two specimens, in the settings: compacted soil above the GCL and compacted soil below the GCL. These tests allowed the determination of hydraulic conductivity and transport parameters of the materials under study. Thus, the behavior of these composite liners was compared with the results obtained by Musso (2008), which tested the independent configuration. After the start of percolation of the \'K\'CL\' solution the hydraulic conductivity (\'K\') of the two settings showed an increase. However, this increase in \'K\' did not affect the hydraulic performance of materials, and the hydraulic conductivity was observed with values of about \'10 POT.-11\' m/s. The retardation factor of the configuration in which the GCL is above the layer of compacted soil was larger in relation to the other configuration analyzed. Overall, it was considered that this configuration showed better performance as composite liner. Comparing the results with those presented by Musso (2008), the hydraulic conductivity didn\'t differ, and the composite liners had higher retardation factors than the liner of compacted soil alone.

Geosynthetics are used in conjunction with soil/particulate materials to serve various functions like reinforcement, drainage, filtration and containment. The shear behavior of soil-geosynthetic interfaces hugely depends upon on the morphological properties of particulate materials and surface characteristics of geosynthetics. However, many researchers have ignored the effects of morphology, owing to the difficulty in finding the morphological characteristics of sand particles. Few of them used visual, manual and imaged based quantifications, which are not very effective. Also, the effects of particle size and morphology are often combined and the individual effect of these parameters cannot be easily separated. In addition to this, there are very few studies which have given importance to quantitative understanding of surface features/roughness of geosynthetics and almost all of them are limited to 2D surface measurements. The objective of this thesis is to understand the interface shear mechanisms of sand-geosynthetic systems through modified large interface direct shear tests coupled with morphological characterization of sands using advanced image based and optical techniques and surface topographical analysis of geosynthetics using 3D interferometry. The individual effects of particle size and morphology on interface shear mechanism are investigated by carefully selecting the sands having specific size fractions and different morphological characteristics. A new computational method based on image analysis is proposed in this study to quantify the morphology of sands (roundness, sphericity and roughness) more accurately by writing several algorithms and implementing them in MATLAB. The roundness and sphericity of sand particles in this method are quantified as per Wadell (1932) and Krumbein and Sloss (1963) respectively and the root mean square roughness is used as a measure of surface roughness. Out of total four sands, namely coarse sand (CS), medium sand (MS), fine sand (FS) and angular coarse sand (ACS) used in this study, CS, MS and FS have similar morphology and different particle sizes, whereas CS and ACS have same size and dissimilar morphology. The effects of size and morphology of sand particles on the interface shear behavior are examined through direct shear tests on dilative and non-dilative interfaces. After examining the boundary effects on deformation patterns analyzed using shear bands in conventional, fixed box and symmetric interface direct shear tests, symmetric interface direct shear test is observed to show uniformity in stresses and deformations across the shear box and hence the same is adopted in this thesis. Test results revealed that the peak interface friction and dilation angles in case of dilative interfaces are hugely dependent upon the interlocking between the sand particles and the asperities of geosynthetic material, which in turn depend on the relative size of sand particles and asperities. Highest interface shear strength is observed when the asperity size of the geosynthetic material matches with the mean particle size of sand, which is also manifested in terms of highest shear band thickness. Direct shear tests on non-dilative interfaces (sand-smooth geomembrane) revealed that interface friction angle depends on the number of effective contacts rather than the particle size. Morphology of sands is found to have major influence on the interface shear strength among all the parameters investigated. Results from interface shear tests are examined in the light of topographical analysis of sand particles and shear induced surface changes in geomembrane. Possible shearing mechanisms at the interface and the influence of particle size, morphology and normal stress on sliding or plowing are brought out from 3D surface roughness measurements using 3D optical profilometer. The stress-shear displacement response of sand-geomembrane interfaces are correlated to the surface changes on sheared geomembranes through visual observations and roughness quantifications. Medium sand used in this study could make more number of effective contacts with deeper grooves, resulting in highest interface friction. The number of grooves are less in case of coarse sand and the depth of grooves is less in case of fine sand, resulting in lesser interface friction for these two sands compared to medium sand, supporting the results of interface shear tests.

Neste trabalho analisa-se o comportamento de duas configurações de liners através da percolação com solução de \'K\'CL\'. São utilizadas amostras de solo compactadas, do interior do estado de São Paulo, provenientes da Formação Corumbataí, combinadas a um geocomposto bentonítico (GCL) de fabricação nacional. São utilizados ensaios em coluna de percolação em dois corpos-de-prova, nas configurações: solo compactado acima do GCL e solo compactado abaixo do GCL. Esses ensaios permitiram a determinação da condutividade hidráulica e dos parâmetros de transporte dos materiais estudados. Dessa forma, compara-se o comportamento desses materiais combinados com os resultados obtidos por Musso (2008), que adotou a configuração independente. Após o início da percolação com solução \'K\'CL\' a condutividade hidráulica (\'K\') das duas configurações apresentou comportamento crescente. No entanto, este aumento no \'K\' não afetou o desempenho hidráulico dos materiais, e a condutividade hidráulica mostrou-se com valores da ordem de \'10 POT.-11\' m/s. O fator de retardamento da configuração na qual o GCL encontra-se acima da camada de solo compactado se mostrou maior com relação à outra configuração analisada. No geral, considerou-se que esta configuração apresentou melhor desempenho como liner composto. Na comparação dos resultados obtidos nesta pesquisa com os apresentados por Musso (op. cit.) a condutividade hidráulica não diferiu, e as configurações de liner compostos apresentaram maiores fatores de retardamento do que o liner do solo compactado isoladamente. / This research analyzes the behavior of two sets of liners subjected to the percolation of \'K\'CL\' solution. Samples of compacted soil from Corumbataí Formation, combined with a geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) of brazilian manufacture were used. Column percolation tests were used in two specimens, in the settings: compacted soil above the GCL and compacted soil below the GCL. These tests allowed the determination of hydraulic conductivity and transport parameters of the materials under study. Thus, the behavior of these composite liners was compared with the results obtained by Musso (2008), which tested the independent configuration. After the start of percolation of the \'K\'CL\' solution the hydraulic conductivity (\'K\') of the two settings showed an increase. However, this increase in \'K\' did not affect the hydraulic performance of materials, and the hydraulic conductivity was observed with values of about \'10 POT.-11\' m/s. The retardation factor of the configuration in which the GCL is above the layer of compacted soil was larger in relation to the other configuration analyzed. Overall, it was considered that this configuration showed better performance as composite liner. Comparing the results with those presented by Musso (2008), the hydraulic conductivity didn\'t differ, and the composite liners had higher retardation factors than the liner of compacted soil alone.

Le renforcement des sols par géosynthétique est appliqué dans de nombreux types d’ouvrage : remblais sur sol compressible, talus sur fondations stables, remblais sur des cavités et ouvrages de soutènement. La stabilité de ces ouvrages dépend entre autres de l’efficacité des ancrages des nappes géosynthétiques. Les ancrages droit et avec retour sont les plus couramment utilisés. Afin d'améliorer les connaissances actuelles sur le comportement des systèmes d'ancrage, des études expérimentales et numériques ont été développées conjointement. Ce travail de thèse concerne dans une première partie, la modélisation physique tridimensionnelle du comportement des géosynthétiques pour deux types ancrages (ancrage droit et ancrage avec retour). Ces essais ont été réalisés dans une chambre d’étalonnage en conditions contrôlées et instrumentées en laboratoire. Dans une deuxième partie de cette thèse, les paramètres d’interaction sol/géosynthétique déduits à partir de l’étude expérimentale ont été implémentés dans le code de calcul numérique bidimensionnel en milieu continu FLAC2D pour une meilleure compréhension du comportement des géosynthétique en ancrage. L’influence de plusieurs paramètres sur le comportement du géosynthétique en ancrage avec et sans retour a été traitée dans cette étude numérique. Parallèlement à cette modélisation, une autre modélisation numérique (discontinue) par la méthode des éléments discrets (PFC2D) a été réalisée. Ces modélisations ont donné des résultats proches de ceux obtenus expérimentalement et confirme l'analyse faite au sujet des mécanismes d'ancrage. / The soil reinforcement by geosynthetic is used in many types of structures: embankments on compressible soil, slope on a stable foundation, embankments on cavities and retaining structures. The stability of these structures specially depends on the efficiency of the anchors holding the geosynthetic sheets. The simple run-out and anchorage with wrap around are most commonly used. In order to improve the available knowledge of the anchorage systems behaviour, experimental and numerical studies were developed jointly. This thesis work concerns in the first part a three-dimensional physical modelling of the behaviour of geosynthetics in two anchors (simple run-out and anchorge with wrap around). The pull-out tests were performed in a test tank under controlled conditions in the laboratory. In the second part, the parameters of the interaction soil/geosynthetic found from the experimental study were used into the numerical code “FLAC2D” (continuous) for a better understanding of the behaviour of geosynthetics in anchorage. The influence of several parameters on the behaviour of geosynthetic was treated in this numerical study. In parallel with this model, another numerical modelling (discontinuous) by the discrete element method (PFC2D) was carried out. The results of these models are closely to experimental results which confirm the analysis about the anchoring mechanisms.

A major instrumented geosynthetic reinforced approach embankment was constructed to 5.5 m elevation above ground, with prefabricated vertical drains, over a soft compressible clay deposit at Leneghan, Newcastle, Australia in May 1995. The field monitoring of settlements for over six years shows that the embankment manifests significant creep. The instrumentation, field performance and the finite element analyses for predicting the long-term performance of this embankment are described in this thesis. The maximum settlement of 1.1 m was observed one year after the completion of construction. However, the embankment continued to settle at a rate of 0.4 mm/day for the next 5 years. The horizontal displacements of 0.09-0.14 m at various locations and the maximum reinforcement strains of 0.67% were recorded. A numerical model was developed to perform a fully coupled large deformation elasto-viscoplastic finite element analysis for this performance prediction based on creep model proposed by Kutter and Sathialingam (1992). The foundation soil was modelled with creep material behaviour using six noded linear strain triangular elements. A well-documented case history ??? Sackville embankment, New Brunswick, Canada was analysed using this model as a benchmark problem and the model was found to predict all the behaviour characteristics reasonably well. The results obtained from finite element analysis using this model are shown to be in reasonable agreement with the observed performance of Leneghans embankment in terms of settlements, horizontal displacements, excess pore pressures and geosynthetic strains. But, the prediction of settlements was less than satisfactory beyond April 1999. Finite element analyses were performed to study the sensitivity of this embankment behaviour on the variation of hydraulic conductivity values and geosynthetic reinforcement properties. This sensitivity study indicated that the kv variation, the kh/kv ratio and the nominal values of geosynthetic properties adopted in the benchmark analysis are reasonable enough for the long-term behaviour prediction.

Use of geosynthetics for reinforcing soil beds supporting shallow foundations has gained tremendous popularity in recent times. In this thesis, to study and understand the behaviour of geosynthetics reinforced soil foundations, model load tests are carried out on square footings resting on sand beds reinforced with geosynthetics. The effects of various parameters like type and tensile strength of geosynthetic material, depth of reinforced zone, spacing of reinforcement layers, width of reinforcement and form of reinforcement on the performance of square footings on reinforced sand beds are studied. Results from these tests are analyzed to understand the effect of various parameters in improving the bearing capacity and reducing the settlement of footings. An equation is developed to estimate the ultimate bearing capacity of square footings resting on geosynthetic reinforced sand beds by multiple regression analysis of the experimental data. The model loading tests on reinforced soil foundations are simulated in the numerical model using the computer program FLAC3D (Fast Lagrangian Analysis of Continua in 3D). Finally parametric studies on a full scale reinforced soil foundation are conducted. From the experimental, analytical and numerical investigations carried out in this thesis, some important conclusions are drawn regarding the effective depth of reinforced zone, optimum spacing and quantity of reinforcement layers. Relative efficiency of various forms of reinforcement is discussed. Validity of the regression and numerical models developed is verified through experimental data from present study and also for data from other researchers.

A major instrumented geosynthetic reinforced approach embankment was constructed to 5.5 m elevation above ground, with prefabricated vertical drains, over a soft compressible clay deposit at Leneghan, Newcastle, Australia in May 1995. The field monitoring of settlements for over six years shows that the embankment manifests significant creep. The instrumentation, field performance and the finite element analyses for predicting the long-term performance of this embankment are described in this thesis. The maximum settlement of 1.1 m was observed one year after the completion of construction. However, the embankment continued to settle at a rate of 0.4 mm/day for the next 5 years. The horizontal displacements of 0.09-0.14 m at various locations and the maximum reinforcement strains of 0.67% were recorded. A numerical model was developed to perform a fully coupled large deformation elasto-viscoplastic finite element analysis for this performance prediction based on creep model proposed by Kutter and Sathialingam (1992). The foundation soil was modelled with creep material behaviour using six noded linear strain triangular elements. A well-documented case history ??? Sackville embankment, New Brunswick, Canada was analysed using this model as a benchmark problem and the model was found to predict all the behaviour characteristics reasonably well. The results obtained from finite element analysis using this model are shown to be in reasonable agreement with the observed performance of Leneghans embankment in terms of settlements, horizontal displacements, excess pore pressures and geosynthetic strains. But, the prediction of settlements was less than satisfactory beyond April 1999. Finite element analyses were performed to study the sensitivity of this embankment behaviour on the variation of hydraulic conductivity values and geosynthetic reinforcement properties. This sensitivity study indicated that the kv variation, the kh/kv ratio and the nominal values of geosynthetic properties adopted in the benchmark analysis are reasonable enough for the long-term behaviour prediction.

Parmi l’ensemble des matériaux constitutifs d’une couverture d’installation de stockage de déchets, l’argile et le GéoSynthétique Bentonitique (GSB), couramment utilisés, peuvent présenter des défauts qu’il est nécessaire de caractériser afin de prévoir les éventuels travaux de remise en état partielle ou totale du site. L’objectif de cette thèse est de déterminer la capacité des méthodes géophysiques de Tomographie de Résistivité Electrique (TRE), de Polarisation Spontanée (PS) et d’Automatic Resistivity Profiling (ARP) à caractériser les couvertures. Pour cela, un site expérimental constitué de deux couvertures, au sein desquelles des défauts ont été volontairement créés, a été mis en place. Le suivi temporel effectué sur la couverture sans GSB a montré que les conditions météorologiques du mois précédant les mesures ont une incidence sur la détection des défauts. De plus, les variations de comportement hydrique et électrique détectées en TRE au sein du matériau de couverture ont notamment pu être attribuées à l’existence d’hétérogénéités de composition. La présence de GSB rend plus difficile la détection des défauts quelle que soit la méthode utilisée. Cependant, il semble que le temps passant l’évolution du GSB permette une détection plus aisée. Enfin, les prospections effectuées sur une installation de stockage de déchets dangereux ont mis en évidence la nécessité de coupler plusieurs méthodes géophysiques. L’hétérogénéité des matériaux de couverture et de l’état du GSB, mise en évidence par la TRE, a été confirmée par des observations in situ sur des sondages à la tarière manuelle. / Among the whole landfill cover materials, clay and Geosynthetic Clay Liner (GCL), commonly used, may contain defects which are necessary to characterize in order to plan possible repair work, partial or total. The aim of this thesis is to define the ability of the following geophysical methods, the Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT), the Self Potential (SP) and the Automatic Resistivity Profiling (ARP) to characterize covers. To do this, an experimental site composed of two covers in which defects have been intentionally made has been built. These covers are composed of a clayey material upon which a GCL has been placed for one of these covers. The monitoring performed on the cover without the GCL has outlined that the climatic conditions of the month preceding measurements have an impact on the defects’ detection. Moreover, hydric and electrical behavior variations detected by ERT in the clayey material have in particular be linked with the presence of composition heterogeneities. The presence of the GCL makes more difficult the detection of defects whatever the method used. However, it seems that, over time, the evolution of the GCL enables an easier detection. Finally, surveys carried out on an industrial waste landfill have shown the necessity of coupling geophysical methods. The heterogeneity of the cover materials and the GCL has been checked by manual auger holes.

O melhor comportamento de uma estrutura de solo reforçado com geossintéticos não depende só da elevada resistência à tração da inclusão, mas também da sua rigidez e do nível de carregamento sob o qual a estrutura está submetida. Dessa maneira, a interação entre o reforço e as respectivas camadas de solo ao seu redor torna-se de grande importância, pois a mobilização cisalhante combina a deformação da interface solo-reforço e o alongamento do geossintético. Sendo que a melhor forma de avaliar a interação entre o solo e a geogrelha é por meio de ensaios de arrancamento, pensa-se na realização de ensaios de arrancamento cíclico para analisar a interação dinâmica entre o solo e a inclusão quando certas estruturas são submetidas a esse tipo de solicitação. Por causa disso, o objetivo principal deste trabalho é analisar o efeito produzido por carregamentos monotônicos e cíclicos de interface numa geogrelha biaxial de polipropileno, quando inserida na interface de um solo argiloso e um solo arenoso sob diferentes tensões de confinamento. Para isso, são utilizados os equipamentos de pequenas e grandes dimensões do Laboratório de Geossintéticos da EESC-USP, visando avaliar a sua relação e a viabilidade de uso do equipamento de pequenas dimensões. Inicialmente foram realizados ensaios de arrancamento monotônico em ambos os equipamentos sob tensões de confinamento de 25, 50 e 100 kPa, sendo que as resistências obtidas com as tensões de 25 e 100 kPa permitiram definir as amplitudes do carregamento cíclico correspondentes ao 20% de tais valores. Adicionalmente, após a aplicação dos 10.000 ciclos de carga correspondentes à capacidade do equipamento, foi aplicado novamente um carregamento monotônico com o intuito de determinar o efeito do carregamento dinâmico na resistência ao arrancamento e assim poder realizar as respectivas comparações com os valores iniciais. Com base nos resultados obtidos, foi possível observar a diferença no grau de confinamento entre ambos os equipamentos, sendo maior no de grandes dimensões por causa da melhor distribuição das tensões sobre a área ocupada pela geogrelha. Adicionalmente, o grau de confinamento em ambos os equipamentos também influenciou a diferença no efeito do carregamento dinâmico, sendo de desconfinamento no de grandes dimensões e de densificação no de pequenas dimensões. / The best behavior of a reinforced soil structure with geosynthetics not only depends on the high tensile strength of the inclusion, but also on its rigidity and the loading level in which the structure is subjected. Thus, the interaction between the reinforcement and the respective layers of soil around, becomes very important because the shear mobilization combines the deformation of the soil-reinforcement interface and the lengthening of the geosynthetic. Since the best way to assess the soil-geogrid interaction is through pullout tests, it is thought in performing cyclic pullout tests to examine the dynamic soil-inclusion interaction when some structures are submitted to that kind of loads. Because of that, the main objective of this work is to analize the effect that is produced by monotonic and cyclic interface loading on a biaxial polypropylene geogrid, when it is inserted into the interface of a clayey soil and a sandy soil under different confinement stresses. For that, the small and large dimensions equipments of the Geosynthetics Laboratory at EESC-USP are used, looking to evaluate their relationship and the feasibility of using a small dimensions equipment. Initially, they were performed monotonic pullout tests in both equipments under confinement stresses of 25, 50 and 100 kPa, wherein the pullout strengths obtained with 25 and 100 kPa allowed the definition of the load cyclic amplitudes, which corresponded to 20% of such values. Additionally, after applying 10.000 load cycles, corresponding to the capacity of the equipment, it was applied a monotonic loading in order to determine the dynamic loading effect on pullout strength, being useful to compare such values with the initial response. Based on the obtained results, it was possible to observe the difference in the confinement degree between both equipments, being higher in the large one because of the better stress distribution on the geogrid area. Aditionally, the confinement degree in both equipments also influenced the difference in the dynamic loading effect, being deconfinement in the soil-geogrid interface of the large one and densification in the other one.