Flexible Piles within MSE Retaining Wall System

Abstract

In bridges, pile foundations carry the lateral loads created by the movement of the abutment deck. Due to the limited space, retaining walls constructed of mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) may be constructed on the abutment face. In contrast to conventional design methodologies for MSE retaining walls and piles, the effect of pile-wall interaction must be thoroughly investigated. The effects of several variables on the behavior of a flexible pile subjected to lateral loading and located behind an MSE retaining wall system in loose and dense sand soils are discussed in this study. These variables include the offset of the piles, the slenderness ratio, the soil density, the length of reinforcement, and the type of connection between the reinforcing units and the wall facing. The results indicated that when flexible piles are installed closer to the MSE retaining wall, their lateral capacity is significantly reduced. In comparison to the frictional connection model, the mechanical connection between BRC wire mesh and wall facing exhibited better performance of flexible piles in terms of lateral capacity.