Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil (GRS) Walls

Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil (GRS) Walls

by Jonathan T. H. Wu
Released July 2019
Publisher(s): Wiley-Blackwell
ISBN: 9781119375845

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Book description

The first book to provide a detailed overview of Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil Walls

Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil (GRS) Walls deploy horizontal layers of closely spaced tensile inclusion in the fill material to achieve stability of a soil mass. GRS walls are more adaptable to different environmental conditions, more economical, and offer high performance in a wide range of transportation infrastructure applications. This book addresses both GRS and GMSE, with a much stronger emphasis on the former. For completeness, it begins with a review of shear strength of soils and classical earth pressure theories. It then goes on to examine the use of geosynthetics as reinforcement, and followed by the load-deformation behavior of GRS mass as a soil-geosynthetic composite, reinforcing mechanisms of GRS, and GRS walls with different types of facing. Finally, the book finishes by covering design concepts with design examples for different loading and geometric conditions, and the construction of GRS walls, including typical construction procedures and general construction guidelines.

The number of GRS walls and abutments built to date is relatively low due to lack of understanding of GRS. While failure rate of GMSE has been estimated to be around 5%, failure of GRS has been found to be practically nil, with studies suggesting many advantages, including a smaller susceptibility to long-term creep and stronger resistance to seismic loads when well-compacted granular fill is employed. Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil (GRS) Walls will serve as an excellent guide or reference for wall projects such as transportation infrastructure—including roadways, bridges, retaining walls, and earth slopes—that are in dire need of repair and replacement in the U.S. and abroad.

  • Covers both GRS and GMSE (MSE with geosynthetics as reinforcement); with much greater emphasis on GRS walls
  • Showcases reinforcing mechanisms, engineering behavior, and design concepts of GRS and includes many step-by-step design examples
  • Features information on typical construction procedures and general construction guidelines
  • Includes hundreds of line drawings and photos

Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil (GRS) Walls is an important book for practicing geotechnical engineers and structural engineers, as well as for advanced students of civil, structural, and geotechnical engineering. 

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Preface
  3. 1 Stresses and Shear Strength of Soils
    1. 1.1 Stress at a Point
    2. 1.2 Concept of Effective Stress
    3. 1.3 Mohr–Coulomb Failure Criterion
    4. 1.4 Shear Strength Tests
    5. 1.5 Design Considerations
    6. References
  4. 2 Lateral Earth Pressure and Rigid Earth Retaining Walls
    1. 2.1 At‐Rest Earth Pressure
    2. 2.2 Rankine Analysis
    3. 2.3 Coulomb Analysis
    4. 2.4 Rankine Analysis versus Coulomb Analysis
    5. 2.5 Additional Topics Regarding the Design of Rigid Retaining Walls
    6. References
  5. 3 Reinforced Soil and Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil (GRS) Walls
    1. 3.1 Reinforced Soil and GRS
    2. 3.2 Field‐Scale Experiments of GRS
    3. 3.3 Reinforcing Mechanisms of GRS Walls
    4. 3.4 Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil (GRS) Walls
    5. 3.5 Advantages and Disadvantages of Different Types of GRS Walls
    6. References
  6. 4 Geosynthetics Reinforcement
    1. 4.1 Geosynthetics as Reinforcement
    2. 4.2 Mechanical and Hydraulic Properties of Geosynthetics
    3. 4.3 Advantages and Disadvantages of Geosynthetics as Reinforcement
    4. References
  7. 5 Design of Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil (GRS) Walls
    1. 5.1 Fundamental Design Concepts
    2. 5.2 Overview of Design Methods
    3. 5.3 Recent Advances in the Design of GRS Walls
    4. 5.4 The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Design Method
    5. 5.5 The AASHTO Allowable Stress Design (ASD) Method
    6. 5.6 The NCHRP Design Method for GRS Bridge Abutments
    7. 5.7 The GRS Non‐Load‐Bearing (GRS‐NLB) Walls Design Method
    8. References
  8. 6 Construction of Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil (GRS) Walls
    1. 6.1 Construction Procedure
    2. 6.2 General Construction Guidelines and Specifications
    3. References
  9. Index
  10. End User License Agreement

Product information

  • Title: Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil (GRS) Walls
  • Author(s): Jonathan T. H. Wu
  • Release date: July 2019
  • Publisher(s): Wiley-Blackwell
  • ISBN: 9781119375845