Centrifuge model tests on soil nail walls combined with prestressed anchors

Publication Title
Centrifuge model tests on soil nail walls combined with prestressed anchors

Abstract

Soil nail walls are often used for excavations and measures ensuring safer slopes. They consist of a shotcrete wall fixed with a certain pattern of soil nails. The wall system requires a degree of deformation in the contained soil in order to activate the nail tensile capacity. Soil nail walls are therefore often combined with prestressed anchors that limit soil deformation and settlements on adjacent structures. Nevertheless, such combined systems might not fulfil the design requirements if the nail tension cannot be mobilised due to limited soil deformations by the presence of prestressed anchors. Furthermore, the activation of prestressed anchors might influence the shape and size of the expected failure mechanisms. This work addresses this effect by means of centrifuge modelling, exploring the contribution of single-row prestressed anchors at variable heights, comparing them with a control model with no prestressed anchors. The test setup and model results provide an insight into the governing failure mechanisms.

Authors
Angelo Botrugno; Andre Arnold; Samuel Dietrich; Gregor Portmann; Miguel Angel Cabrera

Published In

11th International Conference on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics (ICPMG2026)

Theme

Special Session 1: Physical modelling – from Practice/Industry to Academia