A Review of Geosynthetic Reinforcements to Improve Soil Bearing Capacity

Abstract

The improvement of soil characteristics with geosynthetic reinforcements has emerged as a crucial option in geotechnical engineering to tackle issues associated with weak and unstable soils. This study consolidates findings from experimental, computational, and analytical investigations to assess the effectiveness of geosynthetic reinforcements specifically geogrids, geomembranes, and geotextiles in improving soil bearing capacity and reducing settlement beneath shallow and strip foundations. Experimental studies indicate substantial enhancements in bearing capacity and settlement management when optimal arrangements of geosynthetic layers are employed. Numerical analyses utilizing finite element methods (e.g., PLAXIS and ANSYS) corroborate these findings and enhance reinforcement designs. Critical factors affecting reinforcement efficacy encompass the quantity of layers, interlayer spacing, depth, and material rigidity. The findings indicate that strategically applied geosynthetic reinforcements can enhance the bearing capacity ratio (BCR) by 30% and significantly reduce settling hazards. This paper offers an in-depth analysis of the function of geosynthetics in contemporary foundation engineering and highlights potential areas for future research, such as long-term performance and environmental effect evaluations.