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Field performance of a geogrid-reinforced expansive soil slope: a case study

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Abstract

The aim of this study is to better understand the long-term stability and reinforcement mechanism of expansive soil cut slopes repaired by geogrid reinforcement. A expansive soil slope repaired by geogrid was monitored for two years without interruption. The monitored results demonstrate that the water content of the reinforced expansive soil slope is gradually stabilized in two years after the treatment. The variation trend of geogrid strains is consistent with that of lateral earth pressures in the slope. The geogrid strain decreases with a decrease in earth pressure. When the earth pressure is stable, the geogrid strain approaches the initial value. The geogrid reinforcement is able to inhibit crack development, limit soil deformation and release soil swelling pressure, thus maintaining the long-term stability of expansive soil slope. 

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Abbreviations

\(Basic\ SI\ units\ are\ given\ in\ parentheses\)  :

:

\(f_s\) :

Free swelling ratio (dimensionless);

LL :

Liquid limit (%);

PI :

Plasticity index (dimensionless);

PL :

Plastic limit (%);

\(\omega _{opt}\) :

Optimum water content (%);

\(\omega _s\) :

Standard water absorption rate (dimensionless);

\(\gamma _{dmax}\) :

Maximum dry unit weight (kN/\(m^3\)) .

\(The\ following\ symbols\ are\ used\ in\ this\ paper\) :

:

FD:

Flexible displacement;

LCD:

Lateral cumulative deformation;

MC:

Montmorillonite content;

SLP:

Soil lateral pressure;

SSA:

Specific surface area;

SVP:

Soil vertical pressure;

WC:

Water content.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China; Project (Grant No. 51978085; No. 52008041); the Research and Development Program of China National Railway Croup Co. Ltd; Project (Grant No. 2020G036); the Innovation and Demonstration Program of Science and Technology of Department of Transport of Yunnan Province (Grant No. [2021]62).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Traffic & Transportation Engineering, Changsha University of Science & Technology, 960 Wanjiali South Rd., Changsha, 410114, China

    R. Zhang & Q. F. Gao

  2. School of Civil Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, 2 Taoyuan Rd., **angtan, 411201, China

    T. Lan

  3. National Engineering Research Center of Highway Maintenance Technology, Changsha University of Science & Technology, 960 Wanjiali South Rd., Changsha, 410114, China

    J. L. Zheng

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  1. R. Zhang
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Correspondence to T. Lan.

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Zhang, R., Lan, T., Zheng, J.L. et al. Field performance of a geogrid-reinforced expansive soil slope: a case study. Bull Eng Geol Environ 83, 7 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-023-03478-9

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