Method to estimate modular ratio of reinforced foundation bed from stress induced

This study investigates the response of geosynthetic-reinforced foundation beds to loads and proposes a method to estimate the modular ratio of the reinforced soil layer from the stresses measured at the reinforcement–soil interface or below. The reinforced foundation bed, overlying the in situ soil layer, is considered as a two-layered system. It is noted that the reinforcement effectively redistributes applied loads, reducing stress increments in the soil beneath the centre. Available theoretical solutions for a two-layered soil system, with a stiff layer overlying a relatively soft layer, are applied to the stresses measured beneath the reinforced soil bed. The modular ratio, that is the ratio of the modulus of the reinforced foundation bed with respect to that of the in situ soil, is expressed as a function of the ratio of stress at depth to the applied stress at the surface. A method to estimate the modular ratio of the reinforced foundation bed based on the stress ratio is presented. The versatility of the method in estimating the modular ratio of the reinforced foundation bed is illustrated by analysing test results from literature, and the moduli of geosynthetic-reinforced beds, estimated for the first time, are presented.