Prediction of Reinforcement Connection Loads in Geosynthetic Reinforced Segmental Retaining Walls Using Response Surface Method

This paper presents an improved earth pressure method that considers the capacity of a wall toe to carry an earth load to predict the connection loads of GRS segmental walls constructed with cohesionless backfills on competent foundations. In this method, a response surface model (RSM) of the lateral earth pressure coefficient replaces the Coulomb active earth pressure coefficient. The parameters of the RSM were determined from numerical studies on the impacts of toe restraint, wall geometry, and backfill properties on the distribution of earth loads between the toe and reinforcement layers. The unknown coefficients of the RSM were obtained through a regression analysis of 705 reinforcement load values from 65 simulated walls. The proposed method was compared to the earth pressure method and the stiffness method using measured connection loads from field and centrifuge GRS segmental walls. The results show that the predictions of the proposed RSM method are in better agreement with the measurements than those of the stiffness method and the earth pressure method, whether under a typical or poor toe restraint condition.