| dc.description.abstract | The lateral earth pressure distributions assumed in the current handbooks or guidelines for designing Mechanically Stabilized Earth Wall for evaluating internal stability are not exactly the same. In order to figure out the actual lateral earth pressure distribution acting on a wall, flexible wrapped-face geosynthetic reinforced earth model walls, backfilled with Fulong sand, were constructed and sixteen centrifuge modeling tests were preformed. At the end of reinforcement, the vertical soil pressure is smaller than the theoretical value, while for the lateral soil pressure, except near the toe of wall, is also smaller than the theoretical value. There is no significant difference for the total lateral force; however, larger difference is observed for the moment; the computed values are always smaller than those computed using code specification, indicating that the method adopted in the design guidelines or handbooks is conservative. Within the reinforced zone, the lateral earth pressure, which does not vary significantly with the distance from the wall face, is smaller than the theoretical value from the surface to mid-height of the wall, while the opposite trend is observed for the region below the mid-height of wall. Behind the region of 40mm from the wall face, the vertical soil pressure, which does not vary significantly with the height of wall, decrease with increasing distance from the wall and approach a constant value. | en_US |