Factors affecting kinked steel grid reinforcement in MSE structures

In order to investigate the factors affecting kinked steel grid reinforcement in Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) structures, pullout tests were conducted to find out the new structure of steel grid reinforcement by making one or two triangular kinks on it to effect yielding in the steel grid. The pullout resistance is higher at larger pullout displacement when more kinks are made in the steel grid. Adding more kinks in the steel grid allowed sufficient lateral yielding with sufficient displacements to achieve the active condition as opposed to at-rest condition and thereby reduce the loading in the reinforcements.