Micro-polar Modeling of a Geogrid Reinforcement under Shearing Movement

The behavior of a reinforced soil element including a rigid geogrid reinforcement in contact with granular soil is numerically investigated using elasto-plastic micro-polar (Cosserat) continuum approach. The main attention of paper is laid on the influence of micro-polar kinematic boundary conditions prescribed along the interface between soil and geogrid on the evolution and location of localized shear zone developed inside granular soil body. The obtained numerical results are qualitatively compared with those of experiments. In this regard, homogenous distribution and a certain periodic fluctuation of rotation resistance of soil particles interlocked with geogrid cells are assumed along the interface. The FE results demonstrate that the interaction between granular soil and geogrid reinforcement has significant influence on deformation field inside the soil close to geogrid.

Keywords:

Interface behavior , plane shearing , micro-polar (Cosserat) continuum , infinitegranular layer , geogrid reinforcement