Centrifuge modeling test of a geotextile-reinforced wall with a very wet clayey backfill

Abstract A clayey vertical geotextile-reinforced earth wall (VGREW) in a wet state due to poor drainage conditions after several consecutive days of heavy rainfall was simulated by a series of centrifuge VGREW models. The models were constructed using clayey soil very close to its liquid limit. Through centrifugal tests on these models, the effectiveness of various reinforcement arrangements, on the alleviation of deformation of the clayey VGREW subjected to the previously mentioned adverse conditions, was examined. For the reinforcement length, there exists a critical beyond which no further improvement can be attained, while smaller vertical reinforcement spacing leads to shorter critical reinforcement length. The improvement ratio, Ir, is defined as a relative measure for evaluating the efficiency of the improvement and is presented as contour plots to facilitate the consideration of the design. Four failure modes are observed in this study and their evolution for each reinforcement arrangement is also demonstrated.