Framework for designing optimized next-generation geogrids

Understanding the role of geogrid apertures and their role in interactions with the surrounding soil is critical. For the last 40 years, numerous attempts have been made to enhance geogrid performance by using different aperture shapes and sizes. These efforts have largely been conducted without a formal procedure and instead have relied largely on experience and manufacturability considerations. To enable a more robust design protocol that is based on topological considerations, a framework that incorporates structural optimization considerations is presented. The initial approach for this framework utilizes one of the most common structural optimization methods, mass-constrained compliance minimization. The application of the methods is demonstrated by evaluating a candidate geometry. Various parametric analyses are conducted by varying the input parameters and constraints within the optimization algorithm. To more effectively demonstrate the proposed approach, a complex bio-inspired geogrid structure is selected from which an optimized structure is generated. The resulting topological differences of the optimized design are compared with those of several commercially available geogrid designs. Finally, manufacturing options for optimized designs are discussed, and their suitability is evaluated in relation to both current manufacturing techniques and potential new approaches.