Influence of rigid and flexible face on geogrid pullout tests

A series of laboratory pullout tests was carried out to investigate the pullout behavior of geogrid in sand under rigid and flexible boundary conditions at the front of a pullout test apparatus. Furthermore, non-destructive X-ray radiography method was used to examine the sand behavior during the pullout of the geogrid. The front boundary condition, overburden pressure, relative density and stiffness of geogrid were considered test parameters. Based on the measurements of geogrid displacement distribution, pullout force, lateral force on the rigid front face and displacement of the flexible front face, it is made clear that the geogrid pullout behavior with the rigid front face is different from that with the flexible front face. Furthermore, the mechanism of each geogrid behavior is discussed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.