Design Manual for Geotextile-Retained Earth Walls.

Abstract : Soil, especially granular, is relatively strong under compressive stresses. A typical reinforcing material, on the other hand, can carry significant tensile forces. When combined, a reinforced soil is attained. Because of the interaction of the reinforcement and soil, the resulted composite structure possesses higher strength. This extra strength means, for example, that a slope can be built steeper. Geotextile, a fabric made of polymer material, was introduced as a soil reinforcing agent in the late 1950s. Since the early 1970s, it has been utilized in the construction of retained soil walls. In these walls, the geotextile sheets are used to wrap compacted soil in layers producing a stable composite structure. Geotextile-retained soil walls somewhat resemble the popular sandbag walls. Contrary to sandbag walls, however, geotextile reinforced walls can be constructed to significant height because of the geotextile's higher strength and a simple mechanized construction procedure.