A Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) wall is a vertical grade separation that uses earth reinforcement extending laterally from the wall to take advantage of earth pressure to reduce the required design strength of the wall. MSE wall systems are often prefabricated to reduce construction time, thus improving constructability when compared with conventionally cast-in-place reinforced wall systems. However, there is a lack of knowledge for predicting the service-life of MSE retaining wall systems when recycled backfill materials such as Recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP) and Crushed Concrete (CC) are used instead of Conventional Fill Material (CFM). The specific knowledge missing is how these recycled materials, when used as backfill in MSE wall systems, affects the corrosion rate of the reinforcing strips. This work addresses this knowledge gap by providing recommendations for MSE wall systems backfilled with CC or RAP, and provides a guide to predict the service-life based on corrosion rate test data obtained from embedding steel and galvanized-steel earth reinforcing strips embedded in MSE wall systems backfilled with CC, RAP, and CFM. Experimental data from samples emulating MSE wall systems with steel and galvanized-steel reinforcing strips embedded in CC and RAP were compared to samples with strips embedded in CFM. The results of the testing provide data and methodologies that may, depending on the environmental exposure conditions, justify the use of RAP and CC for the construction of MSE walls. If these backfill materials are obtained from the construction site, this could provide a significant cost savings during construction.

The purpose of this study was to extract galvanized steel wire reinforcement coupons from mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls along I-15 and determine the rate of corrosion that has taken place since Phase I, which was conducted by Gerber and Billings (2010). The galvanized steel reinforcement analyzed in this study has been in place for 19 to 20 years at the time of extraction. A total of 85 coupons were extracted and laboratory analysis was performed to determine the thickness of remaining zinc galvanization on each coupon. Soil samples were obtained from each one-stage wall extraction location to determine moisture content for correlation with corrosion. After laboratory testing was performed, the measured zinc coating thickness was compared to that determined in Phase I. An average corrosion rate of approximately 0.032 oz/ft²/year has occurred since Phase I. According to the AASHTO (2017) design corrosion rate of 0.35 oz/ft²/year for the first two years and 0.09 oz/ft²/year until the depletion of the zinc, the zinc coating would have been completely depleted after 16 years. Based on the results of laboratory testing, the initial galvanization coating was likely greater than the specified thickness of 2.0 oz/ft² (86 μm). The zinc galvanization is corroding at a slower rate than the AASHTO design rate. The AASHTO design rate for depletion of zinc coating and subsequent corrosion of the steel reinforcement is conservative for the corrosion conditions present in the MSE wall reinforcement coupons tested. The integrity of the steel reinforcement that is currently in place is not likely to be compromised by corrosion.

No description available.

La presente investigación alcanza una alternativa de utilizar los muros de suelo reforzado como estribos de puente en la mina Cuajone situado en el departamento de Moquegua, con el objetivo de comprobar si es posible que estas estructuras soporten las altas cargas de los camiones mineros que transitan por los “Haul Road” de la mina. Luego, se desarrolla los procedimientos de diseño estructural del muro MSE con la metodología LRFD según la norma AASHTO. Finalmente, se verifica los resultados que se obtuvieron mediante el modelo y el análisis de los elementos finitos del diseño consolidado en el software PLAXIS y se presentan las conclusiones del caso. En primer lugar, está el capítulo introductorio, que presentar de manera resumida y cualitativa el tema de la tesis y las motivaciones del caso. Se desarrolla el problema planteado y finaliza esta sección con la descripción de los antecedentes históricos de los muros MSE, hipótesis, objetivos y alcances de la presente investigación. Asimismo, se describe de manera extendida los conceptos de los muros MSE, ventajas, desventajas, tipos de sistemas, tipos de refuerzo, tipos de paramentos y sus aplicaciones. Además, se presentan los pasos diseño de los muros como estribo de puente y el procedimiento del análisis sísmico de estos. Finalmente, se describen los conceptos del método de elementos finitos y el análisis del software PLAXIS. En el segundo lugar; se presentan el material y método, considerando el nivel y diseño de investigación, variables y técnicas que se emplearon para poder desarrollar de manera satisfactoria el argumento de la presente tesis. En el tercer lugar, se presentan los resultados de acuerdo a cada objetivo planteado. Al finalizar esta sección, se presentan los desplazamientos de muro MSE como estribo de puente modelado en el software PLAXIS, concluyendo con la afirmación o la negación de la hipótesis. Por último, se presenta las conclusiones, comentarios y recomendaciones de acuerdo al desarrollo y resultados de la presente investigación. / The present investigation achieves an alternative use of the reinforced soil walls as bridge abutments in the Cuajone mine in the department of Moquegua, with the objective that these structures bear the high loads of the mining trucks that transit through the "Haul Road" of the mine. Then, the structural design procedures of the MSE wall are followed with the LRFD methodology according to the AASHTO standard. Finally, the results obtained by means of the model and the analysis of the finite elements of the consolidated design in the PLAXIS software are verified and the conclusions of the case are presented. In the first place, there is the introductory chapter, the summary and qualitative presentation of the topic of the thesis and the motivations of the case. The problem raised and finalized in this section was developed with the description of the historical background of the MSE walls, hypotheses, objectives and scope of the present investigation. In the next chapter, we describe how to extend the concepts of MSE walls, advantages, disadvantages, types of systems, types of reinforcement, types of walls and their applications. In addition, the steps of the walls are presented as bridge abutment and the procedure of the seismic analysis of these. Finally, the concepts of the finite element method and the analysis of the PLAXIS software are described. In the second place; It presents the material and the method, the level and design of the research, the variables and the techniques used to successfully develop the argument of the present thesis. In the third place the results are presented according to each objective. At the end of this section, the displacements of the wall are presented as a work program in the PLAXIS software, concluding with the affirmation or denial of the hypothesis. Finally, the conclusions, comments and recommendations are presented according to the development and results of the present investigation. / Tesis

No description available.

Grande percentagem do território brasileiro é coberta por solos finos (% passando peneira # 200 > 50%), geralmente de origem tropical, que poderiam ser classificados como solos de baixa capacidade de drenagem. Estes solos não atendem às recomendações técnicas para solos de aterro de estruturas reforçadas, conforme exigido pela AASHTO e BS 8006. Neste trabalho foi avaliado experimentalmente um dos parâmetros mais importantes de projeto de Terra Armada, que condiciona o mecanismo de transferência de carga, o coeficiente de atrito aparente solo-fita metálica (f*). Foi avaliada a influência das características dos solos para as classes de solos estabelecidas pela NBR 9286/86 para o caso de fitas metálicas, e, dos critérios que sustentam o uso de fitas poliméricas, sob diversas tensões verticais atuantes nas fitas, simulando o efeito da profundidade. As informações foram obtidas através de ensaios de arrancamento de fitas metálicas e poliméricas realizados em laboratório e depois comparadas aos resultados teóricos da norma e àqueles preconizados para o uso de fitas poliméricas. Os ensaios realizados com as fitas em solo não convencional 1 e em areia mal graduada, mostraram que para profundidades equivalentes a tensões verticais até 50 kPa, os dois tipos de inclusões possuem valores de coeficiente de interação com o solo maiores que a unidade, isso tornaria razoável o seu uso sob o ponto de vista deste parâmetro e nas condições da realização dos ensaios, quando comparado com a norma, e com os critérios que sustentam o uso das fitas poliméricas em técnica de solo armado. No entanto, para maiores profundidades, a interação apresenta uma tendência de diminuição. O solo não convencional 2 valores da interação muito baixos. Foram instalados strain gages ao longo do comprimento das fitas para monitoramento dos esforços no maciço. Nota-se que esforços elevados ocorreram nas regiões mais próximas do ponto de aplicação da força de arrancamento. / A large percentage of Brazil\'s territory is covered with fine tropical soil (50% passing #200) which can be classified as soils with low drainage capacity. These soils do not meet the technical recommendations for backfill of reinforced soil structures by AASHTO and BS 8006. This paper presents the result of an experimental evaluation of one of the most important design parameters of mechanically stabilized earth with concrete wall facing. The apparent friction coefficient of soil-steel strips and soil-polymeric strips is the project parameter. Also was evaluated the influence of soil characteristics for soil types listed by the NBR 9286/86 for metal strips and for the criteria that support the use of polymeric strips. The evaluation included the application of different vertical stresses on the strips simulating the effect of depth. The information obtained from pullout tests performed in laboratory was compared to the standard theoretical values and design values for polymeric strips. Tests performed on strips in nonconventional soil (1) and poorly graded sand showed that at depths equivalent to vertical stresses up to 50 kPa the two types of inclusions have coefficients of interaction greater than unity, which appears reasonable. Therefore, such soils can be used as backfill soils in the conditions tested and at equal or lesser stress levels. Nonconventional soil (2) showed low value of the friction coefficient. The strain gages installed along the length of the strips recorded the distribution of tensile stress in pull-out tests. Higher tensile stress was recorded by the gages nearest the point of application of the pull-out force.

Master of Science / Department of Civil Engineering / Stacey Kulesza / In Kansas, mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) retaining walls are typically backfilled with coarse aggregate. Current backfill material testing procedures used by the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) utilize on-site observations for construction quality assurance and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials standard T 288-12 (“Standard Method of Test for Determining Minimum Laboratory Soil Resistivity”). AASHTO T 288-12 is designed to test a soil sample’s electrical resistivity (ER) that correlates to its corrosion potential. However, the test, based on material passing through a No. 10 sieve, is inappropriate for coarse aggregate typically used by KDOT as the aggregate will be retained on a No. 10 sieve and potentially leads to over-conservative designs. However, ER imaging provides a two-dimensional (2D) profile of bulk ER of backfill material, thereby yielding more information regarding backfill uniformity compared to traditional sampling. The objective of this study was to characterize bulk ER of in-place MSE wall backfill aggregate. In this study, MSE walls selected by KDOT were tested using ER imaging during construction to determine bulk ER of the backfill. Variations within backfill ER may be a result of varying aggregate material, inclusions of fines, thoroughness of compaction, and the presence of water. ER imaging was used on five walls: four MSE walls and one gravity retaining wall that contained no reinforcement. One MSE wall contained metal reinforcement, while the other four walls contained geosynthetic. The ER imaging field method produced a 2D profile that depicted ER uniformity for bulk analysis. A post processing algorithm was generated to remove the subjective nature of the ER imaging results. The program determines the bulk ER based upon the ER imaging results. These results indicate that the laboratory analysis of AASHTO T 288-12 under-estimates the bulk ER of in-situ backfill material. Identification of a material’s bulk ER will help characterize the ER of aggregates in a complementary KDOT project. Results of this study will be used to recommend an in-situ test method for aggregate used by KDOT.

Grande percentagem do território brasileiro é coberta por solos finos (% passando peneira # 200 > 50%), geralmente de origem tropical, que poderiam ser classificados como solos de baixa capacidade de drenagem. Estes solos não atendem às recomendações técnicas para solos de aterro de estruturas reforçadas, conforme exigido pela AASHTO e BS 8006. Neste trabalho foi avaliado experimentalmente um dos parâmetros mais importantes de projeto de Terra Armada, que condiciona o mecanismo de transferência de carga, o coeficiente de atrito aparente solo-fita metálica (f*). Foi avaliada a influência das características dos solos para as classes de solos estabelecidas pela NBR 9286/86 para o caso de fitas metálicas, e, dos critérios que sustentam o uso de fitas poliméricas, sob diversas tensões verticais atuantes nas fitas, simulando o efeito da profundidade. As informações foram obtidas através de ensaios de arrancamento de fitas metálicas e poliméricas realizados em laboratório e depois comparadas aos resultados teóricos da norma e àqueles preconizados para o uso de fitas poliméricas. Os ensaios realizados com as fitas em solo não convencional 1 e em areia mal graduada, mostraram que para profundidades equivalentes a tensões verticais até 50 kPa, os dois tipos de inclusões possuem valores de coeficiente de interação com o solo maiores que a unidade, isso tornaria razoável o seu uso sob o ponto de vista deste parâmetro e nas condições da realização dos ensaios, quando comparado com a norma, e com os critérios que sustentam o uso das fitas poliméricas em técnica de solo armado. No entanto, para maiores profundidades, a interação apresenta uma tendência de diminuição. O solo não convencional 2 valores da interação muito baixos. Foram instalados strain gages ao longo do comprimento das fitas para monitoramento dos esforços no maciço. Nota-se que esforços elevados ocorreram nas regiões mais próximas do ponto de aplicação da força de arrancamento. / A large percentage of Brazil\'s territory is covered with fine tropical soil (50% passing #200) which can be classified as soils with low drainage capacity. These soils do not meet the technical recommendations for backfill of reinforced soil structures by AASHTO and BS 8006. This paper presents the result of an experimental evaluation of one of the most important design parameters of mechanically stabilized earth with concrete wall facing. The apparent friction coefficient of soil-steel strips and soil-polymeric strips is the project parameter. Also was evaluated the influence of soil characteristics for soil types listed by the NBR 9286/86 for metal strips and for the criteria that support the use of polymeric strips. The evaluation included the application of different vertical stresses on the strips simulating the effect of depth. The information obtained from pullout tests performed in laboratory was compared to the standard theoretical values and design values for polymeric strips. Tests performed on strips in nonconventional soil (1) and poorly graded sand showed that at depths equivalent to vertical stresses up to 50 kPa the two types of inclusions have coefficients of interaction greater than unity, which appears reasonable. Therefore, such soils can be used as backfill soils in the conditions tested and at equal or lesser stress levels. Nonconventional soil (2) showed low value of the friction coefficient. The strain gages installed along the length of the strips recorded the distribution of tensile stress in pull-out tests. Higher tensile stress was recorded by the gages nearest the point of application of the pull-out force.

Cette thèse étudie le comportement de remblais en sol renforcé lors du passage de trains par simulation numérique. Il s'agit de déterminer si les trains à grande vitesse ont un impact particulier sur ce type d'ouvrage. Après un état de l'art des remblais en sol renforcé et de la modélisation numérique de problèmes ferroviaires, les résultats du chargement harmonique d'un remblai expérimental en Terre Armée sont analysés. Ils montrent que les valeurs des tractions dans les armatures, des contraintes et déplacements dans le massif dépendent de la fréquence de la sollicitation, c'est-à-dire de la vitesse de passage du train. On construit un modèle 3D aux éléments finis pour reproduire cette expérience. Il permet de retrouver les valeurs expérimentales avec une bonne précision, en mettant en avant l'importance du choix des lois de comportement du sol, du parement et des armatures. Ce modèle avec ses paramètres est alors utilisé pour discuter du comportement local de l'interface armature/remblai au cours d'un chargement harmonique en régime établi. Le confinement varie beaucoup le long des armatures supérieures au cours du chargement dynamique, tandis que les tractions sont peu affectées par le chargement dynamique. Cependant, malgré ces variations au cours du temps, la stabilité de l'interface reste peu affectée par rapport au cas d'un chargement statique. Un second modèle a été développé pour représenter un remblai de taille plus importante, en utilisant la modélisation multiphasique et en utilisant un repère mobile pour prendre en compte le déplacement du train. Les aspects théoriques et l'implémentation de ce modèle dans le code CESAR-LCPC sont détaillés. On l'utilise pour effectuer une étude tri-dimensionnelle d'un remblai renforcé. Elle met en évidence la faible influence de la vitesse de la charge sur la réponse de l'ouvrage, dans le cas d'un remblai rigide ayant des caractéristiques tirées du remblai expérimental. Dans le cas d'un remblai moins rigide, la vitesse d'un TGV peut s'approcher de la vitesse des ondes de cisaillement dans le massif avec des conséquences significatives au sein de la structure. Finalement, les valeurs expérimentales et les deux modèles numériques développés présentent les mêmes tendances : l'effet dynamique du passage du train a pour conséquence une augmentation des déplacements et une variation du confinement des armatures, tandis que les niveaux de traction sont peu affectés par la charge, ce qui nous incite à conclure que la vitesse du train n'est pas significativement pénalisante sur la stabilité des remblais pour les paramètres issus de l'analyse du remblai expérimental. Toutefois, ces résultats dépendent fortement de la géométrie de la structure, de la façon de modéliser le train, des lois de comportement et des valeurs des paramètres retenus pour le sol, le parement et l'interface sol/armature / This study focuses on the numerical modeling of the Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) walls behavior under High Speed Train (HST) loading. First, the state of the art in reinforced earth as well as in railway dynamics modeling is analyzed. Then we present results coming from the testing of a one-scale reinforced embankment submitted to harmonic loading. They indicate that tensile forces in reinforcements, stresses and displacements depend on loading frequency which is related to train speed. One proposes a 3D Finite Element Model (FEM) in order to numerically reproduce this experimentation. The numerical results fit reasonably well with the experimental ones, highlighting the great importance of the choice of the constitutive law for the soil, reinforcement and facing. The same model is used to locally investigate the soil/reinforcement interface behaviour during a harmonic loading in steady-state. The confining pressure presents significant variations along the reinforcement strip during the dynamic loading while tensile forces are less affected by the load. Nevertheless, the global interface stability remains acceptable compared to a static load. A second numerical model is proposed, which represents a bigger embankment. The multiphase model is used to represent the reinforced soil and moving coordinates are used to take into account the moving train. Theoretical developments of this model and its implementation into CESAR-LCPC FEM code are detailed. The results indicate that the train speed does not play a big role in the overall response of the structure, in the case of a stiff reinforcement comparable to the experimental one. If the embankment is weaker, the HST speed may be close to shear waves speed within the soil, which has significant consequences into the structure, particularly on the stability of the soil/reinforcement interface. Globally the experimental results and those coming from both numerical models present the same trends: the dynamic effect coming from the train passing leads to the in-crease of displacements and confining pressure close to the highest strips, while tensile forces are less affected by the load. This leads us to the conclusion that the train speed does not have a significant effect on the stability of MSE walls, at least for embankments having similar parameters than the experimental one. However these results strongly depend on the embankment geometry, the way to model the train and the parameters and constitutive laws chosen for the soil, the soil/reinforcement interface and the facing

This thesis deals with numerical 3D modeling of reinforced earth block under concentrated wheel load. This is a parametric study, which varies entering face and load position and even his own task. And either by simplification of the CSN 73 0037 or directly. At the beginning briefly describes the construction of reinforced soil in terms of history, application, construction, and properties of materials from which the structure is formed. Attention is also paid to static action and methods of spreading of a concentrated load to earth block. structural design using analytical methods is also part of the thesis