Finite element modeling of hexagonal wire reinforced embankment on soft clay

A full-scale test embankment was constructed on soft Bangkok clay using hexagonal wire mesh as reinforcement. This paper attempts to simulate the behavior of the full-scale test embankment using the finite element program PLAXIS. The agreement between the finite element results and the field data is quite good. The important considerations for simulating the behavior of the reinforced wall embankment were the method of applying the embankment loading during the construction process, the variation of soil permeability during the consolidation process, and the selection of the appropriate model and properties at the interface between the soil and reinforcement. The increased reinforcement stiffness tends to increase the reinforcement tension and increase the embankment forward rotation. The reinforcement tensions increased with the compression of the underlying soft foundation. The appropriate interface properties between the backfill soil and the hexagonal wire mesh reinforcement corresponding to the interaction mechanism at working stress conditions were dominated by the direct shear mechanism. The direct shear interaction coefficient of 0.9 was used.