La compression triaxiale des sols armés

For a better understanding of the mechanical behaviour of reinforced soils, the paper presents a study of triaxial compression tests on soils reinforced by identical, equally spaced, plane ties. Soil–reinforcement interactions are considered by using a method similar to the one that resulted in the introduction of the cohesion effect concept in reinforced earth retaining walls. The material's limit-equilibrium equation is established for any tie orientation. These ties give to a reinforced soil a strength higher than the unreinforced soil strength. The difference may be considered as a cohesion term, which usually depends on the strength, concentration, and inclination of the ties, as well as on the radial stress level. The cohesion term given by triaxial tests is different from the cohesion effect term already introduced in reinforced earth walls, as there is no cohesion effect in a triaxial test. The paper also presents a study of adhesion conditions. By examining stress distribution in the soil between the ties, it is established that beyond a given inclination, no traction can be developed in the ties.