ABSTRACT
The paper summarizes recent work by the writers that is focussed on the use of program FLAC to model the dynamic response of reinforced-soil retaining walls under base excitation. The simulated plane strain model walls were propped-panel type reinforced by horizontal layers of sheet materials with stiffness values in the range expected for relatively extensible polymeric materials (geosynthetics) to steel products. Some results of parametric studies are reported here including the influence of reinforcement stiffness, reinforcement length and toe restraint. Modeling parameters investigated included the location and type of far-end boundary condition and damping ratio. The work described in this paper is the first reported use of FLAC in the open literature to investigate seismic response analysis of retaining walls constructed with extensible reinforcement materials (geosynthetics).
