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. 2013 Nov 19;6(11):5314-5334.
doi: 10.3390/ma6115314.

Geosynthetic Reinforcement of Sand-Mat Layer above Soft Ground

Jong-Beom Park  1 , Hyun-Soo Park  2 , Daehyeon Kim  3
Affiliations

Geosynthetic Reinforcement of Sand-Mat Layer above Soft Ground

Jong-Beom Park et al. Materials (Basel). .

Abstract

In order to improve the bearing capacity of soft ground for the purpose of getting trafficability of construction vehicles, the reinforcement of geosynthetics for sand-mat layers on soft ground has often been used. As the strength of the geosynthetics increases, and the sand-mat system becomes stronger, the bearing capacity of sand-mat systems will be increased. The depths of geosynthetics, reinforced in sand-mat layers, were varied with respect to the width of footing. The tensile strengths of geosynthetics were also varied to evaluate the effect of reinforcement on the bearing capacity of soft ground. The dispersion angles, with varying sand-mat thicknesses, were also determined in consideration of the tensile strength of geosynthetics and the depths of reinforcement installations. The bearing capacity ratios, with the variation of footing width and reinforced embedment depth, were determined for the geosynthetics-only, reinforced soft ground, 1-layer sand-mat system and 2-layer sand-mat system against the non-reinforced soft ground. From the test results of various models, a principle that better explains the concept of geosynthetic reinforcement has been found. On the basis of this principle, a new bearing capacity equation for practical use in the design of geosynthetically reinforced soft ground has been proposed by modifying Yamanouchi's equation.

Keywords: bearing capacity; geosynthetics reinforced; sand-mat system; soft ground.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Model loading-experiment apparatus.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Schematic diagram of conditions for experiment. (a) unreinforced case; (b) geosynthetics only case; (c) 1 layer sand mat+geosynthetics case; (d) 2layer sand mat+geosynthetics case.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Schematic diagram of conditions for experiment. (a) unreinforced case; (b) geosynthetics only case; (c) 1 layer sand mat+geosynthetics case; (d) 2layer sand mat+geosynthetics case.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Relationship between bearing capacity and settlement for tensile load of ultimate bearing capacity depending on the level of settlement.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Change in bearing capacity with tensile load.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Bearing capacity with increasing thickness of sand-mat.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Bearing capacity with the change in the thickness of sand-mat (q0.3).
Figure 7
Figure 7
Change in bearing capacity with the tensile loads (B = 10 cm, d = 10 cm, N = 2).
Figure 8
Figure 8
Change in bearing capacity with the tensile loads (B = 10 cm, d = 20 cm, N = 2).
Figure 9
Figure 9
Change in bearing capacity pursuant to load (B = 10 cm, d = 20 cm, N = 2).
Figure 10
Figure 10
Relationship of bearing capacity and settlement pursuant to load (B = 20 cm, d = 15 cm, N = 2).
Figure 11
Figure 11
Relationship between bearing capacity and settlement for thickness of sand-mat (B = 20 cm, N = 2, d = 10 cm, 15 cm, 20 cm, T = 0 N).
Figure 12
Figure 12
Relationship between bearing capacity and settlement for thickness of sand-mat (B = 20 cm, N = 2, d = 10, 15, 20 cm, T = 50 N).
Figure 13
Figure 13
Relationship of bearing capacity and settlement pursuant to the number of reinforcement layers (B = 10 cm, d = 10 cm, N = 1, N = 2, T = 0 N).
Figure 14
Figure 14
Relationship of bearing capacity and settlement pursuant to the number of reinforcement layers (B = 10 cm, d = 15 cm, N = 1, N = 2, T = 0 N).
Figure 15
Figure 15
Relationship of bearing capacity and settlement pursuant to the number of reinforcement layers (B = 10 cm, d = 20 cm, N = 1, N = 2, T = 0 N).
Figure 16
Figure 16
Relationship of bearing capacity and settlement pursuant to the number of reinforcement layers (B = 10 cm, N = 1 (d = 5 cm), N = 2 (d = 10 cm, d = 20 cm), T = 0 N).
Figure 17
Figure 17
Bearing capacity of sand-mat system with considering various ground conditions. (a) ultimate bearing capacity of soft ground (qu1); (b) ultimate bearing capacity of geosynthetics reinforcement (qu2); (c) ultimate bearing capacity of 1-layer structured sand-mat (qu3); (d) ultimate bearing capacity of 2-layer structured sand-mat (qu4).
Figure 18
Figure 18
Regression analysis of 1-layer and 2-layer sand-mat system for ultimate bearing capacity.
Figure 19
Figure 19
BCR pursuant to the ratio of the thickness of sand-mat (d/B) (B = 10 cm) and (B = 20 cm).
Figure 20
Figure 20
Dispersion angle of the 2-layer sand-mat by reinforced layers and laying ratio (B = 10 cm) and (B = 20 cm).
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References

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