Upper bound estimate of scaled reinforced soil retaining walls

A kinematic approach based on the framework of limit analysis is applied fo r stability analysis of model reinforced vertical and sloping walls with co hesive backfill that were brought to failure under self-weight in a geotech nical centrifuge. A rotational failure mechanism is used to compute critica l heights of the unreinforced and reinforced models; and the Constrained Si mplex method is employed in the optimization scheme. The prototype equivale nt heights predicted by the analyses are within the distress range; i.e., d evelopment of tension crack and collapse of the retaining walls occurred du ring centrifuge tests. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.