2D and 3D Sensitivity Analysis of a Multitiered Retaining Wall

A rational design methodology for multitiered mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls that accurately predicts wall performance is lacking. AASHTO design guidelines provide a purely empirical design using “calibrated” lateral earth pressures adopted from various limited guidelines. Studies have shown that numerical analysis (limit equilibrium method (LEM) and 2D finite element method (FEM)) can be used for the analysis of these types of walls. In this study, a comparison of three different analyses of a multitiered retaining wall under surcharge loading is presented: 2D LEM, 3D LEM, and 2D FEM. The results showed that the 3D LEM gave higher factor of safety compared to the 2D LEM and 2D FEM which gave the same result. A sensitivity analysis regarding the strip coverage of the geosynthetic reinforcement layers is also presented in this study.

Keywords: Virtual Reality; Spatial visualization