OF THE BEHAVIOR OF FREE-STANDING
This thesis investigates the behavior of free-standing gabion walls in areas of mild seismicity. To investigate this behavior, three walls of varying internal cable patterns were constructed at a quarter-scale. These walls were tested with a mass shaker, and mode shapes, tone extractions, and damping ratios were calculated. A modal analysis was conducted using design spectra created from a suite of seven earthquakes from countries bordering Kenya. The corresponding lateral forces to these spectral displacements were found, and the restoring eccentricities from the soil restoring force were backed out through a summation of moments. All analysis was experimentally done due to the complexity of properly modeling the wall system for a secondary analytical comparison. This process was done under the assumption of linear behavior. Similarly, the criteria for failure involved the eccentricity of the restoring soil force exceeding the kern distance (assuming elastic behavior)—criteria that all three of the wall specimens met. However, further research into the nonlinear behavior of this wall type is suggested for future conclusions on free-standing gabion wall behavior.
Case study of a hybrid gabion basket geosynthetic reinforced soil wall
This paper describes the design and construction of the first hybrid MSE wall for a Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) project in the USA that used a combination of rock-filled gabion baskets an...
Improving the moisture resistance of adobe structures
Mud plasters or soil stuccos are commonly used to protect adobe walls from water erosion. Due to drying shrinkage cracks and high permeability, the commonly used soil stuccos are not durable. Stucco stabilizers such as Portland cement, lime and asphalt are expensive. An experimental study undertaken to evaluate some of the locally available, inexpensive, stucco stabilizers is reported here. Crack-resistant stucco compositions made with a cactus solution are described and techniques to make the stucco surface impervious to water are discussed. The results of durability tests involving simulated rainfall on stucco panels, and stucco applied to adobe walls, are presented. Recommendations for field practice are also given.