Full-Scale Shake Table Testing to Evaluate Seismic Performance of Reinforced Soil Walls

The objective of this project is to perform numerical studies and use the Large High Performance Outdoor Shake Table (LHPOST) to investigate the dynamic performance of one or two full-scale (7 m) reinforced soil retaining walls constructed using realistic materials and methods. Considering that these walls will be substantially taller than for any similar previous research (by a factor of 2), a key focus of the proposed research will be on the influence of wall height on overall system response (i.e., stability/deformation) and the distribution of dynamic tensile forces (i.e., seismic demand) in the soil reinforcement. Other focus areas will include dynamic earth pressure on facing elements, effects of dynamic loading on soil-reinforcement stress transfer mechanisms, and permanent deformations after dynamic loading. The tests will be conducted using a unique large soil confinement box (LSCB) that is currently under construction as part of a recently funded National Science Foundation (NSF) grant. The scale of these tests will permit wall construction using realistic soil types, compaction methods, and structural elements. The box will also have a unique design that permits different boundary conditions at the rear of the soil mass, including a water-filled bladder or geofoam layer.