Visualization of Vertical Load Resistance Mechanisms and Bearing Capacity of Strip Footings on Geogrid Reinforced Transparent Granular Soil Foundations

Abstract

This paper presents results from physical model tests on the bearing capacity of a geogrid- reinforced foundation using transparent granular soil. The transparent soil was a mixture of quartz sand and mineral oil with the same refractive index. A polyethylene net was used as a surrogate geogrid in the reduced-scale model. During the tests, the movement of tracer particles was continuously observed, and images were captured using a camera. The movement of the particles was analyzed using digital image correlation. The main conclusions of this paper are: (1) visualization of the model tests using transparent soil clearly showed that the geogrid restrained lateral soil deformation close to the footing base and increased the depth of the loaded foundation zone, and; (2) the experimental results were used to introduce a depth factor into the classical bearing capacity formula to account for the contribution of the geogrid layer to improved bearing capacity.