History and performance of the first MSE walls reinforced with polymeric strips in Türkiye

AbstractMSE wall technology was first introduced to the Turkish market and to the General Directorate of Highways in 1986 with a system that uses precast panels and polymeric strips. The first wall was built near Ankara. In 1987, for the Second Bosphorus Crossing Project − Istanbul, all the wing walls of the overpasses at the Trans European Motorway (TEM) and connecting roads on the European side were also constructed with the same system. Another wall for a hotel construction in Kusadasi near Izmir was built in 1988, supporting a road in front of the hotel. The walls during their 38 years of service life were subjected to severe earthquakes. Strips exhumed from Ankara and Istanbul walls after 20 and 22 years of construction respectively were tested. This paper discusses the history, performance of the walls after earthquakes, the results of the exhumed polymeric strip tests and their present state.