Three-Dimensional Modeling of the Behavior of Geotextile Sheets as Membranes

Abstract

Due to increased land use, road or rail infrastructure is more and more frequently being built on ground that is weak or risks collapse. To avoid any damage or dis ruption (closure to traffic), reinforcements made from geotextile sheets are cur rently being studied. To understand the three-dimensional behavior of textile sheets acting as membranes under pressure, an original finite element calculation method is discussed and compared with analytical solutions in simple cases. A sizing nom ograph and some practical solutions are presented in more complex cases of rein forcement. © 1998, Sage Publications. All rights reserved.