2D numerical analysis of a cantilever retaining wall backfilled with sand-tire chips mixtures

Abstract

Previous research has shown that the backfill behind a retaining wall can be constructed with sand-tire chips (STC) mixture; this can lead to reduced horizontal displacements and earth pressures on the structure and allows lower design requirements, which implies lesser dimensions of the retaining wall. In this paper, the performance and stability of a cantilever retaining wall (CRW) with different STC mixtures, as lightweight backfill materials, were evaluated and analyzed numerically using the finite element software, RS2. The elastic parameters of the STC mixtures were computed using homogenization techniques, and the other engineering properties were obtained based on published literature. The results show that total displacement, vertical displacement, lateral pressures, lateral displacements, maximum shear forces and maximum bending moments are reduced considerably, and global stability of the retaining wall is enhanced when STC mixtures are used instead of sand alone. The mixture with the best overall mechanical behaviour was the one with a tire chips/sand ratio of 66.54/33.46 by weight or 81/19 by volume is used compared to the other mixing ratios.