EFFECTS OF BACKFILL SOILS AND INCIDENT WAVE TYPES ON SEISMIC RESPONSEOF A REINFORCED RETAINING WALL

Using the finite and infinite element coupled method, the seismic anal ysis of a reinforced retaining wall has been carried out in this paper . The related numerical results from this study have demonstrated that : (1) the finite and infinite element coupled method is more suitable for the seismic design of a reinforced retaining wall; (2) the stiffne ss of the backfill soil has a limited effect on the seismic response o f the reinforced retaining wall; (3) a vertical seismic P-wave inciden ce may be the most dangerous condition for the seismic design of a rei nforced retaining wall; (4) the types of incident seismic waves have s ignificant effects on the seismic response of a reinforced retaining w all; (5) vertical incident seismic SV-waves and P-waves lead to differ ent patterns of the horizontal acceleration distribution along the hei ght of a reinforced retaining wall.