Geosynthetic-reinforced soil embankment and foundation systems subjected to reverse faulting considering soil softening behavior
Journal
Transportation Geotechnics
Journal Volume
56
Start Page
101766
ISSN
22143912
Date Issued
2026-01
Author(s)
Abstract
This study conducted a series of finite element analyses on geosynthetic-reinforced soil (GRS) embankment and foundation systems subjected to reverse fault movement. Two advanced constitutive models were considered: the hardening soil (HS) model and the NorSand (NS) model, with the latter selected to account for soil softening along the shear band under large fault displacements. The numerical models were validated by comparing their predictions with test data for reduced-scale GRS embankments with and without geocell-reinforced foundations. Subsequently, stress and displacement data were extracted to examine the performance and reinforcing mechanisms of the GRS embankment and foundation system. The development of the shear band, lateral earth pressure distribution, embankment facing deformation, and mobilization of the reinforcement tensile force were evaluated. The numerical results revealed that the NS model accurately captured the system’s shear strain propagation and embankment facing deformation; this is because this model accounts for soil softening. By contrast, the HS model underestimated these responses. The numerical analyses also revealed that incorporating a geocell mattress into the foundation effectively mitigated shear band propagation from the foundation to the overlying embankment and reduced ground deformation induced by fault displacement, resulting in reduced lateral earth pressure and embankment facing deformation. In summary, geocells provide high confining pressure to infill soil, which increases its shear strength to intercept the upward propagation of shear bands and enhances bending stiffness to distribute stress over a wider influential fault zone, thereby preventing ground breakthrough in concentrated areas.
Subjects
Embankment and foundation system
Geocell
Geosynthetic
Hardening soil model
NorSand model
Reverse faulting
Publisher
Elsevier Ltd
Type
journal article