1.

INTRODUCTION
Reinforced earth with geosynthetics as a kind of
complex material and a new reinforcement tech-
nique once caused a revolution in geotechnical engi-
neering. It has been utilised successfully in retaining
wall, abutment, quay, foundation reinforcement, etc.
At the same time, theoretical analyses, model tests
and in situ performance have been carried out.
Investigations of reinforced earth have included the
study of the state of the stress inside mass, the forces
mobilised along the reinforcement, as well as the
force acting on the wall facing. Previous theories
and methods often studied soil and reinforcement
separately. In fact, it is really a kind of complex ma-
terial. However, it is scarcely treated as complex
materials in analysis. An elastic-plastic model with
strain softening behaviour of reinforced earth with
geosynthetics s a complex material was developed
(Zhang, 2000). Furthermore reinforced earth with
geosynthetics represents significant normal anisot-
ropy. A typical comparison of anisotropy between
soil and reinforced earth presents in Table 1. Based
on the elastic theory, a normal anisotropic analytical
method has been developed, which can be used in
analysing reinforced earth structures with geosythet-
ics.

Table 1 Anisotropic properties of reinforced earth

Type
xy

xz

yz
E
x
/E
a
E
y
/E
a
E
z
/E
a

Soil 0.250 0.250 0.250 1.00 1.00 1.00
RE-1 0.013 0.329 0.329 21.06 21.06 1.18
RE-2 0.250 0.250 0.331 41.00 1.06 1.06
RE-3 0.329 0.013 0.019 21.06 1.18 21.06
RE-4 0.331 0.007 0.007 1.06 1.06 41.00

Note: The Youngs modulus of reinforcement and soil are
200GP a, 4000MPa respectively.
=0.25 =20kN/m
3
K
0
=0.333
2. STRESS-STRAIN RELATIONSHIP OF
REINFORCED EARTH WITH
GEOSYNTHETICS
As a kind of complex material for reinforced earth,
its stress -strain relationship in plane strain can be
expressed by Hookes law:
z y x x
a a a
13 12 11
+ + (1)
z y x y
a a a
23 22 12
+ + (2)
z y x z
a a a
33 23 13
+ + (3)
xy xy
a
66
(4)

Where a
11
a
66
are elastic coefficients, ie.

Referring to plane strain, let
z
=0, then:



To determine the stress components, substitute
z

into Eqs. (1) and (2) to obtain:







A normal Anisotropic model of reinforced earth structures
M. X. Zhang
Department of Civil Engineering, Shanghai University
A A Javadi
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Bradford

ABSTRACT: Reinforced earth is considered a kind of complex material, but it is scarcely treated as complex
materials in analysis. Based on the elastic mechanics, a normal anisotropic analytical model has been devel-
oped, which can be used in analysing reinforced earth structures with geosythetics. Furthermore the analytical
solution is in good agreement with the results of tests.
z
zx
y
yx
x
E
a
E
a
E
a


13 12 11
, ,
1
z
zy
y x
xy
E
a
E
a
E
a


23 22 21
,
1
,
z y
yz
x
xz
E
a
E
a
E
a
1
, ,
33 32 31


xy
G
a
1
66

) (
1
23 13
33
y x z
a a
a
+
y x
y x y x x
a
a a
a
a
a
a
a a
a
a
a a

,
_

,
_

+ +
33
23 13
12
33
2
13
11
23 13
( 33
13
12 11
) (







Above equations can also be written as:


(5)




(6)


Where;

According to differential equation and Cauchy equa-
tion:

(7)


(8)


To substitute from Eqs. (5) and (6) into Eqs. (7) and
(8), then:


(9)


3. DISPLACEMENT & STRESS COMPONENTS
OF REINFORCED EARTH STRUCTURES
If the length and height of a reinforced earth struc-
ture are a and b respectively, the displacement com-
ponents anywhere in structure can be shown:

(10)


Where





If m=1, z
1
=1.

If m=2,

Where coefficients A
mn
,B
mn
are obtained by:


(11)


Where K
1
mnij
,K
2
mnij
,K
3
mnij
,K
4
mnij
,K
5
ij
,K
6
ij
are shown in
appendix.
The stress components anywhere in structure can be
shown:



(12)




4. EXAMPLE

A reinforced earth retaining wall with geosynthetics
constructed in a model test, the length a=1.2m, the
height b=0.54m, the properties of materials is shown
in Table 2. Figure1 shows the displacement of wall
facing and settlement. The comparison between re-
sults of calculation and model experimental results
demonstrates that the proposed method predicts
fairly well the measured displacement. Figure 2(a),
(b) illustrates the stress contour in x, y direction,
respectively.

Table2 Properties of materials

Item E
x
E
y

xy
C q
y

Unit kPa kPa - kN/m
3
kPa kPa
Value 18000 50000 0.25 16.5 98.5 29 150















Figure 1 the displacement of structure

Figure 1: The displacement of structure
y x
x
y
x
x
c c
b
b b
b b
b
b

12 11
22
22 21
12 11
22
12
+

y x
y x y x y
a
a
a
a
a a
a
a a
a
a a a

,
_

,
_

+ +
33
2
23
22
33
13 23
12
23 13
( 33
23 22 12
) (
1
y x
y x y
x
y
c c
b b b
b

22 21
11 21 21
11
+

66
66
11
22
21
21
12
12
22
11
1
, , , ,
a
c
b
c
b
c
b
c
b
c

33
2
23
22 22
33
23 13
12 21 12
33
2
13
11 11
, ,
a
a
a b
a
a a
a b b
a
a
a b
22 21
12 11
b b
b b

+ +
+ +
0
0
y
y x
x
y x
y xy
xy
x

x
v
y
u
xy

+ + + +
+ + + +
0 ) (
0 ) (
2
2
22 2
2
66
2
21 66
2
66 12 2
2
66 2
2
11
Y
y
v
c
x
v
c
y x
u
c c
X
y x
v
c c
y
u
c
x
u
c

m n
n m mn
m n
n m mn
y z v
y x u
) sin ( cos (
) sin ( ) cos (
) sin ( ) cos (
x x sh c x x ch z
y y sh c y y ch y
x x sh c x x ch x
m m m m m m
n n n n n n
m m m m m m



+ +

,
_

a
x
z
2
1 3
2

+
+


K K B K A
K K B K A
ij
m n
mnij
mn
m n
mnij
mn
ij
m n
mnij
mn
m n
mnij
mn
6 4 3
5 2 1

,
_

+
+
+



m n
n
m mn
n
m
m n
mn xy
m
n
n
m mn n m
m n
mn y
m
n
n
m mn
n
m
m n
mn x
y z B y x A c
y
z B c
y
x A c
y
z B c
y
x A c

66

22

21

12

11

Displacement
mm
of wall facing
0.5 1
Model test
Calculation
q
y
S
e
t
t
l
e
m
e
n
t
m
m
1
.
5













(a)
x














(b)
y
Figure 2 Stress distribution

5. CONCLUSION
Reinforced earth with geosynthetics as a kind of
complex material has normal anisotropy signifi-
cantly. Based on the elastic theory, a normal anisot-
ropic analytical method has been developed. The
comparison between analysis and the experimental
results of a reinforced earth wall shows that the pro-
posed method has high accuracy.
6. REFERENCES
- Z. Cao(1997), Vibration Theory of Shells,
Shanghai Scientific Press.
- Han Juran (1990), Kinematical limit analysis
for design of soil-nailed structures, Journal
ogf Geotechnical Engineering, Vol.116, (1),
p. 54-72
- Dov Leshchinsky (1985), Stability of mem-
brane reinforced slopes, Journal of Geotech-
nical Engineering, Vol. 111, (11), p1285-
1300
- M. Zhang & Jun Sun(2000), Strain softening
behaviour and an elastic-plastic analysis of
reinforced earth with geosynthetic, China
Civil Engineering Journal, (3), p.104-107



APPENDIX


(a-1)



(a-2)



(a-3)



(a-4)






(a-5)





(a-6)






(a-7)





(a-8)




(a-9)





(a-10)


-11.5
-5.3
-9.4
-7.4
-3.2
-13.5
-15.6
/kPa
x
/kPa
y
{ }
{ }
I
y y
c L x x c w
L I c c L I c c L I c c w K
CF
mi j n
cF
ni i m b
CF
nj
CF
mi
CF
jn
CF
mi
CF
nj
CF
im i
mnij
b
ab ab ab
j n i m
16
2
21 16
2
66
2
16 16
2
21 66 20 20 66 11 20 20 66 11
2
1
/
/ ) ( / /
,
+
+ + + +

{ }

'

+ +
+ + + +

a a b
b a ab ab
j n i m
I y y c y y c L x c w
L I c c L I c c L I c c w K
CF
i
j n j n
CF
nj i B
CF
nj
CF
i
CF
jn
CF
i
CF
nj
CF
i I
mnij
/ /
/ / ) ( / /
,
6
2
21
2
66 16
2 2
66
2
16 6
2
21 66 20 10 66 11 20 10 66 11
2
1
' '
{ }

'

+ + +
+ + +

a b a
b ab b a
j n i m
I y c L x x c x x c w
L I c c L I c c L I c c w K
CF
mi i
CF
j i m j m B
CF
j
CF
mi
CF
j
CF
mi
CF
j
CF
im I
mnij
/ /
/ ) ( / / /
,
16
2
2
21 6
2
66
2
11
2
6 16
2
21 66 10 20 66 11 10 20 66 11
2
1
' '
{ }

'

+ + + +
+ + + + +

a a ab b
ab b a b a b a
j n i m
I y y c y y c L x c x x c w
L I c c L c L I c c I c w K
CF
i j n j j
CF
j i i i B
CF
j
CF
i
CF
j
CF
j
CF
j
CF
i I
mnij
/ /
/ ) ( / / / 2 /
,
6
2
21

66 6
2 2
66
2
11
2
6 6
2
21 66
3
6
2
66 10 10 66 11
3
7
2
11
2
1
' ' ' '
( ) ( ) {
( ) ( ) }

'

+ + +
+ + + +
+ + + +

a
i m
j n
a
i m
j n
CF
jn i m
CF
nj i m B
a CF
nj i m
CF
jn
a
i m
CF
jn
a
i m
CF
nj
a
i m I
mnij
dx dx
b dx dx
b dx dx
j n
x z y y c c x z y y c L x z c L x z c c w
L x z c c c L x z c c c
L x z c c c L x z c c c w K
0

22 21
0
2
66 19
2
66 19

12 11
2
0
2
22

66 66 21 19 0
"
66 66 21
2
22 0

66 66 12 19 0

11 66 12
2
2
' ' ' ' ' '
' '
' " '
/
/
( ) ( ) {
( ) ( ) }

'

+ + +
+ + + +
+ + + +

a
i m j j
a
i m j j i m i m b
CF
j
a
i
a
i m
CF
j
a
i m
a
i m I
mnij
dx dx
b dx
m
dx
b dx dx
j n
x z y y c c x z y y c x z c x z c c w
L x z c c c x z c c c
L x z c c c x z c c c w K
0

22 21 0
2
66
2
66

12 11
2
2
12
0

66 66 21 0
"
66 66 21
2
12
0

66 66 12
0
"
11 66 12
2
2
' ' ' ' ' '
' '
' '
2 2
/ 2
/ 2
( ) ( ) {
( ) ( ) }

'

+ + +
+ + + +
+ + + +

a
i m j n
a
i m j n
CF
nj i m
CF
jn m i B
CF
jn
a
i m
CF
nj
a
i m
CF
nj
a
i m
CF
jn
a
i m I
mnij
dx dx
b dx dx
b dx dx
j n
z x y y c c z x y y L z x c L x z c c w
L z x c c c L z x c c c
L z x c c c L z x c c c w K
0

22 21
0

19
2
66 19

12 11
2
2
22
0

66 21 66 19
0
"
66 21 66
2
22
0

66 12 66 19
0
"
66 12 11
2
3
' ' ' ' ' '
' '
' '
) (
/
/
( ) ( ) {
( ) ( ) }

'

+ + +
+ + + +
+ + + +

a
i m j n
a
i m j n i m m i b
CF
j
a
i m
a
i m
CF
j
a
i m
a
i m I
mnij
dx dx
b dx dx
dx dx
j n
z x y y c z x y y c c z x c x z c w
L z x c c c z x c c c
L z x c c c z x c c c w K
0
2
66 0

22 21
2
66

11
2
2
12
0

66 21 66 0
"
66 21 66
12
0

66 12 66
0
"
66 12 11
2
3
' ' ' ' ' '
' '
' '
2 2
/ 2
2
{ }
{ } a b
b a b a b a
j n i m
I
y y
c L z z c w
L I c L I c L I c c w K
FF
mi j n
CF
nj i m b
CF
jn
FF
mi
CF
nj
FF
im
CF
j
FF
ij m I
mnij
/ /
/ / / / / / ) (
,
16
2
66 6
2
12
2
20 20
2
66 20 20
2
66 6 . 16
2
66 12
2
4
+
+ + + +

{ }

'

+ +
+ + +

+
I y y c y y c L z z c w
I c L I c L I c c w K
FF
i j n j n
CF
nj i m B
FF
i
CF
nj
FF
i
CF
nj
FF
i I
mnij
a b
a b b a
j n i m
6
2
66
2
22 16
2
12
2
10
2
66 20 10
2
66 16 6
2 2
4
' '
) (
/
/ / / /
66 12
,
( ) { }
{ } a b b
b a b a a
j n i m
I y y c z z c L z z c w
L I c L I c L I c c w K
FF
i j n i m
CF
j i m B
CF
j
FF
mi
CF
j
FF
im
CF
j
FF
mi I
mnij
/ /
/ / / / /
66 12
,
6
2
66
2
66 6
2
12
2
10 20
2
66 10 20
2
66 6 16
2 2
4
' '
+ +
+ + +

+

(a-11)



(a-12)



(a-13)




(a-14)


Where W
I
and W
B
represent special values of the
weight functions in the interior and at the boundary
of structure, respectively.



q
y
is distributed load acted on upper surface of
the structure (y=b).
a and b are length and height of the structure,
respectively.
X and Y represent body forces in structure in x
and y directions, respectively.

etc are beam functions (Cao, 1997).
















( )
{ }

'

+ + +
+ + + +

+
I y y c y y c z z c L z z c w
L c L I c I c L I c c w K
FF
i i n j n i m
CF
j i m b
cF
j
CF
j
FF
i
FF
i
CF
j
FF
i I
mnij
a b b
a a b a b a b a
j n i m
6
2
66
2
22
2
66 6
2
12
2
3
7
2
66 10 10
2
66
3
7
2
66 6 6
2 2
4
' ' /
/ / / 2 / / /
66 12
,
( )
'
'
' '
21

0
2

66 21
"
66
"
11
2
5
y
c x
q
w
y x c c y x c y x c w K
j
i
a
y
B
s
j i j i j i I
ij
dx
dxdy Y X

1
]
1

+ +
,
_

( )

+
1
]
1

,
_

+ + +
a
j i y B
s
j i j i I j i I
ij
dx
dxdy Y X
y
z c
q
w
y
z
y
z c w
y
z c c w K
0

22
2
" "
66
2
66 12
2
6
'
'
'
b y n n a x m m
y y x x

| ' ' , | ' '
I
FF
mi 20 L
CF
jn 20
,