Parametric Study of Mechanically Stabilised Earth Wall using PLAXIS

Abstract

Mechanically stabilised earth (MSE) walls made of steel and geosynthetic reinforcing elements are now well-established technologies. MSE walls have been increasingly used in many civil engineering projects over the last 25 years as it offers economical and technical advantages over conventional retaining walls. However, the agencies using the MSE wall are now concerned about its failure. This study is intended to presents a parametric investigation on a validated finite element model of an MSE wall to evaluate the effect of geogrid length, strength, and soil friction angle on wall displacements. In PLAXIS 2D, a total of 120 permutations are modelled by varying geogrid length, strength, and soil friction angle, while wall geometry, boundary conditions, water table, and loading conditions kept constant for all cases. On the basis of the results of this parametric study, charts are constructed to demonstrate how the extreme displacement of the MSE wall is affected by various factors. The outcomes of this parametric analysis offer insights about the behaviour of an MSE wall and important reference information for comprehending the design procedure and specifications for any MSE wall.