Deformation Resistance of the Gabion Retaining Wall Under Horizontal Loading

This research investigated the effects of the connecting gabions, the packing density and the particle shape of the filling gravel, and the vertical pressure on the horizontal deformation resistance of the gabion retaining wall. The dimensions of the model gabion used in this experiment were 20 cm x 20 cm x 20 cm. The model gabion retaining wall was prepared by stacking three of them vertically. The horizontal loading tests were performed with a plane strain, in which a gabion in the middle of the retaining wall was pushed horizontally while applying constant vertical load. The obtained main findings are as follows. 1) The connecting gabions have the effect of increasing the deformation resistance due to the generation of tension in the gabion net due to the deformation of itself. 2) The particle shape of the filling gravel affects the deformation resistance of the gabion retaining wall. That is, the rigidity of the gabion retaining wall using the round gravel at a small deformation level was stiffer than in the case using the angular gravel. 3) The vertical stress acting on the gabion retaining wall has little influence on its deformation resistance.