Theoretical Analysis and Numerical Simulation of Embankment Reinforced With Geosynthetics and Pile-wall

The construction of high embankments on soft ground faces several challenges, such as potential bearing capacity failure, intolerable total or differential settlements. Horizontal geosynthetic reinforcement combined with vertical reinforcement using piles or pile walls can provide an economical and effective solution to ground improvement to support high embankments. Theoretical and numerical analyses were conducted to investigate the interaction among the embankment fill, geosynthetics,pile-walls and soft soil. The variation laws of the soil arch efficiency, the pile-wall efficiency, the differential settlement at the embankment bottom and the tension in geosynthetics are also discussed. Research results show that the soil arch effect in fill combined with the tension membrane effect of geosynthetics can considerably enhance the pile-wall efficiency, and minimize the yielding of the soft soil; the distribution of tension in geosynthetics is not uniform and the maximum value of tension generates at the edge of pile-wall.