MSE/soil nail hybrid walls

[Boonie]

Texas Tech has a research project called "Design procedures for MSE/Soil Nail Hybrid wall design". Can anyone help me locate this document or a similar one concerning the global stability analysis of this type of wall system. Design software is readily available to model the walls seperately but not as a system.

 

[MSEMan]

Assuming that you are talking about a soil nail wall with an MSE wall in front of the soil nailing, the FHWA is very soon to publish a design manual on the subject. The basic sizing parameters are that the MSE wall should have L > 0.3H with the top two layers L >0.7H to prevent a tension crack. The internal stability of the MSE is analysed conventionally for rupture and pullout.

I undertand your concerns about global stability. Check out Talren V4. It allows you to model the whole section simultaneously including different reinforcement types such as anchors, nails, grids, strips; construction stages, and load and resistance factors in the same model. Alternatively you could always use any of a number of FEM or FD packages.

Hope this helps.

 

[Boonie]

Thanks for the info. I am designing a small wall that will utilize a soil nail wall with a modular block facing at the bottom and will transition to a standard modular block wall reinforced with geogrid at the top to reduce the required excavation. The internal design is easily performed for each section seperately, but as I said, global stability for the entire structure is the concern. Talren sounds like the application I need. Thanks again.

 

[Geo69]

MSE Man,

Do you know when the FHWA design manual will be published? I am looking for information about these type of retaining walls.

Thanks,

Geo69

 

[MSEMan]

Geo69,

Contact Jerry DiMagio at FHWA in DC - he can tell you.