Two-dimensional (2D) transient numerical thermal modeling was undertaken using ansys fluent v12.1 software to estimate distribution of soil backfill temperatures in a typical mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) wall. The modeling was calibrated using field-measured temperature data from the Tanque-Verde MSE wall in Tucson, Arizona (AZ) in which computed temperature data were found to be within ±5% of the field data. The calibrated model predictions for Las Vegas, Nevada (NV) showed an overall average soil backfill temperature of 34.3 °C relative to a maximum outside surface temperature of 51.6 °C. Such a high average soil backfill temperature calls for modification of design procedures since conventional designs are based on geosynthetic tensile strength determined at 20 °C.

Issue Section:
Research Papers
Keywords:
Thermophysical properties, Very high temperature heat transfer
Topics:
Design, Soil, Temperature, Temperature distribution, Modeling

References

1.
Murray
,
R. T.
, and
Farrar
,
D. M.
,
1988
, “
Temperature Distributions in Reinforced Soil Retaining Walls
,”
Geotext. Geomembr.
,
7
(
1–2
), pp.
33
–
50
.10.1016/0266-1144(88)90017-9
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
2.
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO),
2011
, “
LRFD Bridge Design Specifications
,” 4th ed., Sec. 11,
AASHTO
,
Washington, DC
, pp.
11-1
–
11-99
.
3.
ANSYS, Inc.
, Release Notes for ANSYS FLUENT 12.1, Last accessed Jan. 5, 2013, https://www.sharcnet.ca/Software/Fluent12/pdf/rn/fl121rel.pdf
4.
Koerner
,
R. M.
,
2012
,
Designing With Geosynthetics
, 6th ed., Vol.
1
,
Xlibris Corporation
,
Bloomington, IN
.
5.
American Society for Testing and Materials, 2010, “
Standard Test Method for Determining Tensile Properties of Geogrids by the Single or Multi-Rib Tensile Method
,” Designation D6637, ASTM International, West Conshohoken, PA.
6.
Bonaparte
,
R.
,
1987
, “
Influence of Temperature on Performance of Tensar Geogrid Reinforced Soil Retaining Walls
,” Geo Services Project No. 87-901-01.
7.
Wayne
,
M. H.
,
Bright
,
D.
,
Berg
,
R. R.
, and
Fishman
,
K. L.
,
1997
, “
Tanque-Verde Retaining Wall Structure: Revisited After 11+ Years
,”
Geotext. Geomembr.
,
15
(
4–6
), pp.
223
–
233
.10.1016/S0266-1144(97)10005-X
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
8.
Fishman
,
K. L.
,
Desai
,
C. S.
, and
Berg
,
R. R.
,
1991
, “
Geosynthetic-Reinforced Soil Wall: A 4-Year History
,”
Transport. Res. Records
,
1330
, pp.
30
–
39
.
9.
Federal Highway Administration
,
1989
, “
Tensar Geogrid-Reinforced Soil Wall Grade-Separation Structures on the Tanque-Verde-Wrightstown-Pantano-Roads Intersection
,” Tucson, AZ, Report No. FHWA-EP-90-001-005.
10.
Berg
,
R. R.
, and
Anderson
,
R. P.
,
2009
, Silver Anniversary: The Tanque-Verde Retaining Walls, Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI), Last accessed Feb. 2011, http://geosyntheticsmagazine.com/articles/1009_f4_anniversary.html
11.
Holman
,
J. P.
,
2002
,
Heat Transfer
, 9th ed. (Series in Mechanical Engineering),
McGraw-Hill International Edition
,
Singapore
.
12.
Siddharthan
,
R. V.
,
Norris
,
G. M.
, and
Kasozi
,
A. M.
,
2013
, “
Investigation of the Use of Geogrid Reinforcement for MSE Walls Under Elevated Temperatures in Nevada
,” Nevada Department of Transport, Report No. P171-10-803.
13.
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)
,
2002
, Mechanistic Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG).
14.
Townsend
,
C. L.
,
1981
,
Control of Cracking in Mass Concrete Structures
(Engineering Monograph, No. 34),
Division of Design, Engineering and Research Center
, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Washington DC.
15.
Geo-Slope International Ltd.
, “
Thermal Modeling With TEMP/W 2007 Third Edition
,” Geo-Studio TEMP/W Software Manual, Last accessed July 29, 2012, http://www.ottegroup.com/manuals/TEMPW%202007%20engineering%20book.pdf
16.
Neville
,
A. M.
,
2009
,
Properties of Concrete
, 4th ed.,
Pearson Education, Inc., and Dorling Kindersley Publishing, Inc.
,
New Delhi
.
17.
Jumikis
,
A. R.
,
1996
,
Thermal Soil Mechanics
,
Rutgers University Press
,
New Brunswick, NJ
.
18.
Mitchell
,
J. K.
, and
Soga
,
K.
,
2005
,
Fundamentals of Soil Behavior
, 3rd ed.,
Wiley
,
New York
.
19.
Gui
,
J. G.
,
Patrick
,
P. E.
,
Kamil
,
E. K.
, and
Jay
,
S. G.
,
2007
, “
Impact of Pavement Thermophysical Properties on Surface Temperatures
,”
ASCE J. Mater. Civil Eng.
,
19
(
8
), pp.
683
–
690
.10.1061/(ASCE)0899-1561(2007)19:8(683)
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
Copyright © 2015 by ASME
You do not currently have access to this content.