COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF STATIC AND SEISMIC BEHAVIOUR IN REINFORCED EARTH WALLS WITH POLYMERIC STRIP REINFORCEMENT

Abstract

Reinforced earth walls have become a vital component in modern geotechnical engineering, particularly for infrastructure located in seismically active regions. Their ability to accommodate deformations and enhance slope stability makes them a preferred solution for retaining structures. This study presents a comparative analysis of the static and seismic behavior of reinforced earth walls using polymeric strip reinforcements of varying tensile strengths. The objective is to assess how different reinforcement capacities and soil conditions influence wall performance under dynamic loading. Experimental investigations were carried out to determine the properties of the backfill material, including standard Proctor compaction, California Bearing Ratio (CBR) tests, and dynamic soil characterization. These parameters were used as inputs for two-dimensional finite element modeling in PLAXIS 2D. The walls were analyzed using polymeric strips with tensile strengths of 30 kN, 40 kN, and 60 kN under varying cohesion and friction angle values. The simulations revealed that walls with lower-strength reinforcements (30 kN and 40 kN) exhibited instability under seismic loading, primarily due to inadequate tensile resistance. In contrast, the configuration with 60 kN reinforcement and higher shear strength soil (φ = 35.48°) demonstrated stability, effective energy dissipation, and controlled deformation, with displacement limited to ~65 mm and peak acceleration reaching ~165 m/s² at the crest. The study confirms that reinforcement strength and soil shear properties are critical to seismic performance, and highlights the necessity of proper material selection in design. The findings provide valuable insight for engineers and designers to enhance the seismic resilience of reinforced soil structures.