Integrated Experimental and Numerical Analysis of Reinforced Soil Retaining Walls with Poorly Graded Sand Backfill
Integrated Experimental and Numerical Analysis of Reinforced Soil Retaining Walls with Poorly Graded Sand Backfill
Reinforced soil retaining walls have gained widespread attention in geotechnical engineering as cost-effective and adaptable alternatives to conventional rigid retaining structures. Accurate prediction of their performance under realistic boundary and loading conditions remains challenging due to field-scale complexities, instrumentation limitations, and high experimental costs. This study presents a comprehensive investigation of the geotechnical behavior of reinforced soil walls constructed with poorly graded sand backfill using a well-instrumented laboratory-scale physical model. A transparent Plexiglas box (120×100×60 cm) was specially designed to enable real-time observation of soil deformation during loading. The effects of geogrid reinforcement layer arrangement were systematically examined, focusing on the perforation pattern. To complement the experimental program, a finite element model was developed in ABAQUS, replicating laboratory conditions and simulating wall behavior under similar loading scenarios. The results indicate that the reinforcement sheet with a P/3 perforation pattern significantly reduced horizontal displacement compared to the P/2 configuration, with a maximum displacement reduction of approximately 73% under identical surcharge conditions. Numerical and experimental results showed good agreement at upper and middle wall levels, whereas larger discrepancies were observed near the base, highlighting potential scale effects and boundary influences. The study demonstrates the critical role of reinforcement configuration in controlling deformations and enhancing structural performance. These findings provide valuable insights for the optimized design of reinforced soil walls, emphasizing the importance of perforation geometry, layer arrangement, and proper integration of reinforcement layers.
Daniya Bahramiyan; Hadi Ahmadi; Payam Zanganeh Ranjbar; Reza Jamshidi Chenari; B. Stuyts; Mahya Roustaei; M. Payan
11th International Conference on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics (ICPMG2026)
Special Session 5: Combination of numerical and physical modelling
https://doi.org/10.53243/ICPMG2026-98