A qualitative model study on the effect of geosynthetic foundation reinforcement in sand overlying very soft clay

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Authors

Jones, Brendon Ronald
Jacobsz, Schalk Willem
Van Rooy, Jan Louis

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

South African Institution of Civil Engineering

Abstract

A centrifuge model study was carried out investigating the effects of the inclusion of geogrid reinforcement in a sand layer constructed over a thin, very soft clay layer to facilitate the construction of warehouse floors supporting product stockpiles. The use of geogrid reinforcement allowed larger surcharge loads to be applied for a given amount of settlement by allowing load to be spread over the footprint area of the geogrid due to the tension membrane effect and its associated benefits. A lower-bound calculation of the load at which the tensile reinforcement starts to function is presented. Upper-bound solutions were found to overestimate allowable surcharge loads, as they are associated with unacceptable deformations. The reinforcing effect of the geogrid was found to have been fully mobilised at 5% vertical compression of the clay layer.

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Keywords

Centrifuge modelling, Soft clay, Geogrid, Reinforced sand

Sustainable Development Goals

Citation

Jones BR, Jacobsz SW, Van Rooy JL. A qualitative model study on the effect of geosynthetic foundation reinforcement in sand overlying very soft clay. 25 J. S. Afr. Inst. Civ. Eng. 2016;58(2), Art. #1340, 10 pages. http://dx.DOI.org/ 10.17159/2309-8775/2016/v58n2a3.