Measured behavior of a geosynthetic-reinforced segmental retaining wall in a tiered configuration

The observed behavior of a geosynthetic-reinforced segmental retaining wall (SRW) is presented. A 5.6-m-high full-scale SRW in a tiered configuration was constructed and instrumented in an attempt to examine the mechanical behavior and to collect relevant data that will help improve the current design approaches. The horizontal deformations at the wall face and strains in the reinforcement are reported. The results show that the interaction between the upper and the lower tiers not only influences the performance of the lower tier, but also that of the upper tier, resulting in large horizontal deformations in the upper tier and strains in reinforcement that can depart significantly from what might be anticipated. It is also shown that for walls on a less competent foundation, significant post-construction wall movements may occur. The design implications and findings from this study are discussed.