No abstract

The state of the practice of MSE wall design has become more complex as more and more systems, engineers and researchers have become involved in the practice. There are correct ways to design MSE walls, to apply traffic surcharge, to select design parameters and backfill, to assess service life, to address special design conditions such as bridge abutments, traffic barriers and earthquakes, and to select the wall design method itself. Yet the complexity persists, arising from policy changes and a multitude of design choices. This paper will discuss these and other areas of confusion and provide clarification regarding accepted, reliable methods of MSE design that have been proven in the field for more than forty years.

No abstract

For two decades, designers of railway systems worldwide have found Reinforced Earth to be ideally suited for support of track beds and bridge and trestle abutments, for earth retention structures adjacent to rights-of-way, and for deflection walls to protect bridge piers from impact in the event of derailment. Stray currents from direct current traction power railways have been shown to be of little concern in corrosion of the metallic soil reinforcements used in Reinforced Earth structures. The discrete metallic reinforcements used in Reinforced Earth structures lack electrical continuity, so the reinforcements act as individual short length conductors instead of part of a continuous network. Therefore, there is no tendency for stray currents to collect on individual reinforcements, accumulate as a result of electrical continuity, and discharge to the earth at remote locations. Select backfill that conforms to the standard mechanical and electrochemical requirements for Reinforced Earth structures provides additional resistance to the flow of stray currents. Several examples of the performance of galvanized reinforcing strips in stray current situations are provided. It is noted that galvanized steel reinforcements without a cathodic protection system have been the predominant choice since 1990.