Highway Retaining Wall Design Methods And Optimization

With the fast pace of highway construction in our country, highway retaining walls(RWs) are getting widely and largely used. Consequently, it's of great engineering significances and potential economic effect to study the design theories and optimum methods of various types of highway RWs.Based on the status in quo and development trend of highway RWs at home and abroad, design theories, construction technology, and new types of retaining structures and wall materials as well as the development trend are deeply discussed in this paper. Then, some retaining wall systems prevalent internationally such as MSE-RW, RRR-RW, soil-nailed RW, MRS-RW and GRS-RW, SRW-RW are introduced. A detailed review on structural types, practical application and problems for stone masonry RW, recast segmental RW, gravity reinforced concrete RW, reinforced soil RW is presented in this study. An extending research is also made to discuss the calculation models, scheme selection, design and optimization methods and construction procedures for gravity RC RW by anchored bar. A new concept of landscape-purpose design for highway concrete RW is presented as well. In combination with three examples, the history, materials, design methods, construction techniques, advantages and disadvantages and problems thereof in China for reinforced soil RWs are illustrated. Damage reasons and reinforcing measures for existing reinforced soil RWs are put forward as well.Moreover, following fields are also covered in this paper: advantage and disadvantage of all kinds of RWs; economic analysis and comparison (on the basis of detailed data) on the structures of RW, bridge and embankment; economic analysis and discussion on different types of RW structures; (4) significance of type optimization for highway RWs; two principles to be mastered in RW design; and some problems arisen in the application and development of RWs.