Investigation of the mechanical response of recovered geogrids under repeated loading

Abstract

This study investigates the mechanical response and performance of biaxial polypropylene geogrid specimens’ cyclic loading. This work assesses the influence of embedment depths and subgrade strengths on the geogrids. The experimental program involved subjecting the geogrid specimens to 100 repeated tensile loading cycles at four distinct load targets: 20%, 40%, 60%, and 80% of the geogrid ultimate tensile strength. The analysis focused on evaluating the effects of preloading factors such as California Bearing Ratio (CBR) values, embedment depth, and the response to cyclic testing. Results show trends in stiffness reduction and changes in damping ratio with increased number of cycles. A comparative analysis was conducted with a control specimen from the same batch, highlighting the difference in mechanical response attributed to precycling variables. The findings indicate that the overall mechanical behavior of recovered geogrids is comparably consistent with new geogrids. However, variations in strain and stiffness reduction were observed among the recovered specimens, suggesting a pattern of yielding before failure. The findings suggest a minimal effect of embedment depth on the damping ratio at lower CBR. Overall, it was found that precycling and subgrade conditions have minimal effect on the mechanical response of the recovered specimens when tested in isolation.