Behavior of Laterally Loaded Shafts Constructed Behind the Face of a Mechanically Stabilized Earth Block Wall

Abstract

Current practice for designing laterally loaded columns that pass through an MSE Wall involves isolating the column from the MSE mass and anchoring the column into rock with a rock socket. A sizeable cost and time savings could be realized, while still maintaining reliability, if a method were available to evaluate the lateral load capacity of a column that is supported by the MSE mass with no rock socket. This report describes the construction, instrumentation, and testing of eight different 36" diameter columns solely supported by an MSE mass as well as a brief discussion of the results and recommendations for future testing and analysis. Instrumentation includes 24 pressure cells, 16 inclinometer locations, 112 strain gages, 20 tell tales, 84 photo measurements of the wall facing, and load cells and LVDTs associated with lateral load and response.