Validation of retaining walls constructed with cement-stabilized soils using centrifuge testing
Validation of retaining walls constructed with cement-stabilized soils using centrifuge testing
Cement stabilization is a common technique used to enhance the engineering and mechanical properties of in-situ soils in accordance with the stress rates imposed by civil engineering projects. Using in-situ soils with hydraulic binders reduces reliance on quarried materials, minimizing environmental impact and infrastructure costs. Cement-stabilized soils (CSS) have many applications in civil engineering, mainly embankments, pavements, and railway construction. This study aims to evaluate CSS as a construction material for retaining walls. First, laboratory-scale studies were conducted to characterize the elastic and shear strength properties of a CSS. Then, a centrifuge study was conducted on a scale-down cement-stabilized retaining wall (CSRW). A scaled CSRW model was built and tested under 20´g centrifuge acceleration to simulate 4 m wall height with no surcharge. Centrifuge test results are very encouraging for the large-scale use of CSRW.
M. A. Castaneda-Lopez; T. Lenoir; J. P. Sanfratello; Philippe Hauza; Thierry Dubreucq; Luc Thorel; P. Audrain; A. Neel; A. Jagu; S. Lerat; P. Gaudicheau
11th International Conference on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics (ICPMG2026)
Session 3: Resilient geotechnical infrastructure
https://doi.org/10.53243/ICPMG2026-167