ABSTRACT
This paper investigates the influence of groundwater on geosynthetic-reinforced pile-supported (GRPS) embankments. 3D experiments showed that groundwater primarily reduces the load, mainly through uplift forces, but also causes a slight reduction in soil arching. However, the soil arching quickly recovers when the groundwater level decreases again. The Concentric Arches (CA) model (CUR226, 2016), combined with Archimedes’ principle, provides the most accurate match compared to two other main calculation models. No significant correlation between groundwater levels and geosynthetic reinforcement strains was observed.
