Shaking Table Tests of Embankment Models Reinforced with Geotextiles - Reinforced Soil Engineering: Advances in Research and Practice - page 399

Figure 28 Large-scale shaking table test model.

effects of geogrids and foundation improvement with cement during shaking
table tests. It should be noted that a series of tests was conducted in which
different shaking tables were used, so this should be taken into account when
making comparisons.

4.1 Model 1

4.1.1 Test Procedures and Results

Figure 28 depicts the large-scale model and the arrangement of measuring
instruments. The model was built on a 1:10 scale of an actual earth dam that was
damaged by the Nihonkai-Chubu earthquake. The model was 4.51 m in total
length, 1 m high, and 2.8 m wide.
Shaking table tests were conducted for

two cases: reinforced and

unreinforced embankments.
In the large shaking table tests, the reinforcement effect of geogrids in the
embankment section was considered for a model whose foundation and
embankment were composed of loose sand. In the large-scale model, there was a
resonance point at around 24 Hz. The relative density of the sandy section was
Dr 50%. Figure 29 shows a comparison of crest settlement (DV1). Here we can

see that such settlement was constrained to about 40% of that which occurred in
the tests shown in Fig. 13 . In addition, deformation was more uniform in the
reinforced model than in the unreinforced one, and there was almost no
occurrence of cracking in the former.
Figure 29 also compares settlement and acceleration for two cases at
representative locations. Although there was little difference in acceleration on
the plus side, there was a noticeable difference on the minus side. The factor
responsible for this phenomenon is not well understood.

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