Yield design modelling of dry-stone retaining walls

Colas, Anne Sophie; Morel, Jean‐Claude; Garnier, Denis

doi:10.2495/str070421

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 9 publications

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“…During the design phase, the final solution must be developed to ensure constructability, meet minimum performance and safety standards, and optimize material amounts to reduce costs. Several LCA studies of ERW have been carried out to evaluate the environmental impact of these constructions [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]. However, in many of these studies, the cost factor is often neglected, despite its essential role in making decisions for civil engineering projects.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

New Selection Process for Retaining Walls Based on Life Cycle Assessment and Economic Concerns

Zbidi,

El Euch Khay

2023

JERA

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Earth-retaining walls (ERWs) are widely used structures in civil engineering, a field known for their substantial environmental impact. However, the current practice of selecting ERW types for a project often neglects environmental concerns. To address this issue, this study proposes a novel process to enhance the rationality of ERW selection. It involves assessing the performance of commonly used ERW types in terms of both environmental issues and economic considerations. The proposed process relies on calculating a total cost (TC), which incorporates the costs of two crucial environmental indicators: carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and cumulative energy demand (CED), evaluated using life cycle assessment (LCA), in addition to considering the traditional construction cost of the ERW. By determining the TC for various retaining wall options, engineers can identify the optimal ERW type for a specific project. To validate the effectiveness of this environmental-economic approach, a case study was conducted comparing two ERW types: the conventional concrete-reinforced retaining wall (CRRW) and the geosynthetic-reinforced retaining wall (GRRW). The study evaluated structures constructed at four different heights, ranging from 3 m to 6 m. The results demonstrate that the GRRW is the optimal option, offering a lower TC than the equivalent wall conventionally built with reinforced concrete across all evaluated heights. However, the difference in TC between the two ERWs is more pronounced for taller walls. At a height of 3 m, the total cost ratio between the CRRW and the GRRW is moderate at 1.2, while it substantially increases to 2.5 at a height of 6 m. In conclusion, the proposed process was effectively applied to the case study, providing valuable insights into the assessment of earth-retaining structures from both environmental and economic perspectives. It can assist engineers in prioritizing and selecting the most sustainable and cost-effective ERW type for a specific project.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

New Selection Process for Retaining Walls Based on Life Cycle Assessment and Economic Concerns

Zbidi,

El Euch Khay

2023

JERA

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Historische Stützmauern

Alsheimer¹

2015

Mauerwerk Kalender 2015

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Charts for the conservation of vernacular drystone retaining walls

Morel

Garnier

et al. 2011

WIT Transactions on the Built Environment

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Drystone walls are durable structures, due to their intrinsic ductility, permeability, and the strength of the materials used. Nevertheless, they can be subject to slow deterioration due to the weathering of the materials, application of loads for which they were not designed, impact, or inappropriate repair methods. It is then necessary to assess the condition of the structure, and design repairs or a replacement construction. A suitable design should then help to minimize the overestimation of the structure's resistance which will result in a waste of materials and resources. Actually, three methods may be used in the design of drystone retaining walls -the distinct element method, yield design and limit equilibrium analysis. Based on them, charts are suggested to facilitate initial design.

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Yield design modelling of dry-stone retaining walls

Cited by 3 publications

References 9 publications

New Selection Process for Retaining Walls Based on Life Cycle Assessment and Economic Concerns

New Selection Process for Retaining Walls Based on Life Cycle Assessment and Economic Concerns

Historische Stützmauern

Charts for the conservation of vernacular drystone retaining walls

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