The analysis of behavior of geosynthetic reinforced soil-integrated bridge system: a review

Abstract

The Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil-Integrated Bridge System (GRSIBS) is a new construction technology developed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) nearly 20 years ago to meet the needs of a new generation of medium-span bridges in the United States. The outstanding feature of GRS according to the FHWA concept is the close spacing reinforcement, typically ranging from 0.2 to 0.3 m, which helps to create more effective interaction than geomechanical reinforced soil (GMSE) systems with larger spacing reinforcement of 45 ~ 60 cm. GRS-IBS offers outstanding advantages in terms of cost, construction speed, and adaptability to various terrains. This paper provides an overview of the GRSIBS system and summarizes previous studies on the main factors affecting the performance of the GRS-IBS system. The research results will help readers better understand the GRS-IBS system and have additional research directions on this bridge system corresponding to different structural diagrams and working conditions.

Keywords: Reinforced earth retaining wall; geotechnical materials; bridge abutment; GRS-IBS structure; main influencing factors; research direction.