Behavior of rigid circular shallow foundations on geogrid-reinforced sand

Abstract

This paper presents the effect of two types of geogrid inclusion on the bearing capacity of a rigid circular footing resting on sand. The improvement achieved with uniaxial and biaxial geogrids is compared. Load tests were performed for a broad series of conditions, including unreinforced cases, was tested by varying variables such as geogrid type, number of geogrid layers, depth to topmost layer of geogrid and the case when the geogrid is anchored to the test mold. The results were then analyzed to find both qualitative and quantitative relationships between the bearing capacity and the geogrid variables. The results of the investigation indicate that both, the settlement and the bearing capacity, of circular footing resting on sand, can be enhanced by the presence of geogrid layers. The improvement in stress-strain behavior of the geogrid-reinforced sand was found to be strongly dependent on the number of geogrid layers, vertical distance between the base of the foundation and the first layer of geogrid and the tensile strength of geogrid reinforcement.