Earth Retaining Structures and Reinforced Slopes

Abstract

For many years engineering practice for earth retaining structures emphasized earth pressures and their application in choosing an appropriate design and support system. In the last 25 years there has been a dramatic growth in new construction technologies and products for retaining soil. In particular there has been increasing use of reinforcing elements, either by incremental burial to create reinforced soils or by systematic in situ installation to produce soil nailing. Rapid developments in polymer manufacturing have led to a wide range of polymeric products (geosyn-thetics) (see Chapter 7). These materials are now routinely used to reinforce the soil in retaining wall and slope applications, and to control soil drainage. Reinforced soils and soil nailing have changed the ways built-up and in situ walls are constructed by providing economically attractive alternatives to conventional methods. The use of these products in reinforced soil applications has led to many different earth retention systems.