Laboratory Studies on Bearing Capacity of Strip Interfering Shallow Foundations Supported by Geogrid-Reinforced Sand

Abstract

In recent years, geosynthetics are used and considered by many scientists for various earth structures. This is due to their good performance and ease of execution. Many researchers carried out extensive studies on the behavior properties of geosynthetics. However, much attention has not been given to detailed studies and investigation on bearing capacity of interfering shallow-foundations supported by geogrid reinforced sand. In this research, a series of experimental tests was carried out on the effects of geometrical parameters on bearing capacity of interfering shallow foundations supported by geogrid reinforced sand. A numerical model and design charts were introduced to predict bearing capacity. The results showed that the bearing capacity increased using geogrid reinforcement and a good correlation exists between the model and the conventional theoretical relations. Also, the main parameters affecting on the values of the interference factor were the footing distance (s/B) and the number of reinforcement layers (N). However, the suggested interference factor model had an effective reflection on the calculated bearing capacities of the footings.