Numerical modelling of geosynthetic reinforcements – simple constitutive models allowing for durability

Numerical models, particularly using the finite element method, are becoming increasingly popular, for example to assist the design of geosynthetic reinforced soil structures and/or analyse their performance. Geosynthetics are often represented by a stiffness (and sometimes a tensile strength). As durability is key for the design and performance of geosynthetics, representing their response using non-linear constitutive models allowing for durability is essential. Thus, it is important to understand how damage may influence the load-strain response and how such changes can influence design tensile properties. Recent research work on this topic is summarised, highlighting how simple hyperbolic-based constitutive models can be used to represent the tensile response of geosynthetics, for both their as-received and damaged conditions. The model parameters have physical meaning and can be linked to the material tensile properties. The approach adopted allows estimating the model parameters after damage from model parameters of undamaged samples and reduction factors for the damage agent or mechanism considered. This approach has large potential for application in geotechnical design, as estimated constitutive models allowing for durability may be implemented in software, e.g., using finite element method, and lead to more realistic designs.