Residual deformation behaviors of reinforced rock-fill materials

The reinforcement technology is widely used in rock-fill dams in high seismic hazard zones. The evaluation of reinforcement on deformation and safety is concerned, and it is one of the major study objectives in rock-fill engineering. The residual deformation behaviors of reinforced rock-fill materials are experimentally studies by use of a triaxial apparatus. The effects of intervals of reinforcement layers, confining pressures and conditions of cyclic loading on the residual deformation are analyzed. The results show that reinforcement improves the residual deformation behaviors of rock-fill materials. Both the residual shear strain and the residual volumetric strain are deduced. Based on the test results, the mechanism of the influences of reinforcement on the residual deformation is proposed tentatively.