A simplified analytical model for geosynthetic-reinforced pile-supported embankments with cohesive fills

Most current design methods for geosynthetic-reinforced pile-supported (GRPS) embankments neglect the influence of fill cohesion, and are therefore only suitable for cohesionless fills. However, cohesive fills are also widely used in GRPS embankments. To address this issue, we present an analytical model that expands the hemispherical arching model to incorporate cohesive fill properties. The proposed model integrates the soil arching effect, the tensioned membrane effect, and subsoil support to provide a simple approach for analyzing load transfer in GRPS embankments. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed model, a comparison with four well-known design methods is conducted using several case studies. This comparison demonstrates that the proposed model shows good agreement with the measured data, validating the reliability and applicability of our method. A parametric study is also performed, with the results indicating that the cohesion of fills enhances load transfer in GRPS embankments, resulting in a greater pile efficacy and a lower geosynthetic deflection. These findings provide valuable insights for the construction of GRPS embankments.