FINITE-ELEMENT LIMIT ANALYSIS OF REINFORCED SOILS

Finite element formulations of the lower and upper bound theorems for a reinforced soil are described. The numerical methods are based on th e idea that, from a macroscopic point of view, reinforced soil can be treated as a homogeneous material with anisotropic properties. In real ity, reinforced soil is a composite material whose strength relies on the interaction of the fill and the reinforcement, with the latter bei ng comprised of metal strips or geotextile. The overall behaviour of a reinforced soil is controlled by the mechanical properties of the soi l and the reinforcement, as well as their relative proportions and geo metrical arrangement. Several examples are given to illustrate the eff ectiveness of the proposed procedures for computing rigorous bound sol utions for reinforced soil structures. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.