Shake Table Tests to Measure the Dynamic Performance of Geotextile-reinforced Embankment

Abstract

Using geosynthetics in highway embankments can reduce theimpact of hazardous earthquakes by transmitting less excitationto improve the seismic performance. This study uses a 1-greduced scale (1/50) approach and subjects the model embankmentto an earthquake time history as well as several levelsof uniform cyclic loading. The main focus of comparison isbetween an unreinforced embankment and a one, reinforcedwith two levels of geosynthetics material. Results reveal thatgeotextile reinforced highway embankment models performmuch better under the applied motions. Larger amplitudes causemore severe deformations as a result of the increased dynamicloads. It is also revealed that the effectiveness of the geosyntheticsis dominated by the seismic frequency. Deamplificationis observed within the geotextile reinforced embankment but thedegree of deamplification is highly depended on the predominantfrequency of the dynamic load.