ABSTRACT
Geotechnical Engineering, as a scientific discipline, plays a crucial role in advancing sustainable development and enhancing resilience to natural hazards. The concepts of resilience and sustainability are closely linked: resilience pertains to the ability of a system to withstand and recover from disturbances (such as seismic events, landslides, and floods), while sustainability focuses on the long-term well-being of society and the environment. The augmentation of resilience cannot be limited to a single action but instead demands an ongoing process of adaptation and enhancement as conditions change and new insights emerge. The design and implementation of geotechnical projects must address immediate societal needs and consider the long-term environmental impacts and potential for future disasters. For these reasons, assessing the resilience and sustainability of geotechnical systems requires considering both technical performances and environmental-social-economic factors.
Geosynthetics within civil and environmental engineering structures can enhance safety and serviceability, minimising ecological impact. Specifically, geosynthetics used as reinforcement have gained wide recognition as an efficient approach to enhance the resilience of earthworks. Their effectiveness is particularly notable in their ability to withstand deformation and failure under various loading scenarios. However, a comprehensive understanding of the mechanical behaviour of the geosynthetic-soil interface and the mechanisms of load transfer is crucial for designing and constructing geosynthetic-reinforced structures (GRS), as they govern their performance. In this paper, the author will conduct a comprehensive analysis of experimental data to delve into the intricacies of the geosynthetic-soil interface by examining the effects of different pullout-loading conditions on design parameters and highlighting recent advancements in the field.
