Coupled modelling of environmental in-soil conditions and their effects over polyester straps reinforced soil structures

Abstract

Polyester (PET) strap reinforcement materials are being routinely used as soil reinforcement for mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls. Strength and stiffness of the polyester fibres can be expected to decrease with increasing temperature and in the presence of moisture. By using numerical simulations, mean in-soil temperature values could be approximated to the mean atmospheric yearly value with diminishing fluctuation with increased depth. In-depth relative humidity values were found to present a constant behaviour for three of the four imposed boundary condition. Temporal variations in the response of PET straps were adequately modelled with viscous models within different soil environments.