Topic #625-000-002

FDOT Design Manual January 1, 2019

263 Geosynthetic Design

263.1 General

This chapter provides design guidance for geosynthetic reinforced soil slopes and
geosynthetic reinforced foundations over soft soils. “Geosynthetic” is a generic term for
all synthetic materials used in Geotechnical engineering applications and includes
geotextiles and geogrids.

Reinforced soil slopes should be utilized only when unreinforced slopes are not
appropriate and retaining walls are not economical or are undesirable. FDM 215 contains
design criteria for the use of roadside slopes.

Reinforced foundations over soft soils should be utilized when the existing soils are too
weak to support the anticipated loading without soil failure, and when excavation and
replacement (or other ground modification methods) are not economical solutions.

Approved geosynthetic products are included in the Approved Products List (APL).

263.2 Contract Plans Content

Provide the geosynthetic application type and specific requirements to ensure the
geosynthetic selected from the APL will be suitable. Refer to Standard Specification
985 to determine which test values will be available for selecting the products for each
application from the APL.

Control drawings are required which depict the geometrics (plan and elevation view) of
the area being reinforced. These designs are generic and are not based upon any one
specific product or supplier; the product brand names are not shown on the plans. Design
reinforced slopes using the maximum reinforcement spacing allowed. For soft soils,
design the reinforcement and provide the minimum total strength required.

Include the following information in the plans:

 Required reinforcement strength based on the maximum allowed vertical spacing

of these materials,

 The extent and the number of layers of geosynthetic reinforcement,

 Vertical spacing of geosynthetic reinforcement,

263-Geosynthetic Design

1
Topic #625-000-002
FDOT Design Manual January 1, 2019

 Orientation of geosynthetic,

 Facing details,

 Details at special structures or obstructions,

 Typical construction sequence,

 Top and bottom elevations of the geosynthetic reinforcement layers,

 Surface treatments, and

 Any other required design parameters or limitations.

263.3 Shop Drawings and Redesigns

The contractor can choose to construct the reinforced soil structures either by: (1) using
geosynthetic materials approved for the intended application in the APL meeting or
exceeding the strength required in the plans and placed at or less than the spacing(s)
shown in the plans, or (2) submitting an alternate design (redesign) which optimizes the
use of a specific material and revises the material spacing within the limits contained in
the design methodology in FDM 263.4. Redesigns may be optimized for backfill specific
material properties verified prior to the redesign, or based on generic properties which
must be verified prior to backfill placement. All designs must meet the design
methodology requirements contained in FDM 263.4.

Modification for Non-Conventional Projects:

Delete the first sentence of the above paragraph and replace with the following:
Construct the reinforced soil structures using geosynthetic materials approved for the
intended application in the APL meeting or exceeding the strength required in the plans
and placed at or less than the spacing(s) shown on the Plans.

The shop drawing reviewer must be familiar with the requirements, design and detailing
of these systems. The review must consist of but not limited to the following items:

(1) Verify horizontal and vertical geometry with the contract plans.
(2) The soil reinforcement must be approved for the intended application in the APL.
(3) The soil reinforcement design values do not exceed the values in the APL.

263-Geosynthetic Design

2
Topic #625-000-002
FDOT Design Manual January 1, 2019

(4) Verify that the material strengths and number of layers of the product selected
meets or exceeds the design shown in the contract plans.
(5) Soil properties for the fill material chosen by the contractor must meet or exceed
those used in the design shown in the Contract Plans.
(6) If a redesign is proposed, verify the design meets the requirements of FDM 263.4 and
the Contract Plans, and the soil properties for the fill material chosen by the contractor
meets or exceeds those used in the redesign.

See Standard Specifications Section 145 for requirements associated with Contractor
initiated redesigns.

263.4 Geosynthetic Reinforcement Design Considerations

Only those geosynthetic products approved for usage on reinforced soil slopes in the APL
are eligible for use on FDOT projects. Design the geosynthetic reinforced systems using
comprehensive stability analyses methods that address both internal and external stability
considerations by a Florida licensed Professional Engineer who specializes in
Geotechnical engineering.

263.5 Geosynthetic Reinforcement Design Requirements

Use the following design guidelines and requirements for the analyses and design of
geosynthetic reinforcement:

(1) Performance: The design resistance factors must cover all uncertainties in the
assumptions for the design limit state. The resistance factors must not exceed the
following:
(a) 0.65 against pullout failure.
(b) 0.65 against sliding of the reinforced mass.
(c) 0.75 against external, deep-seated failure.
(d) 0.65 against external, deep-seated failure when supporting a structure.
(e) 0.75 against compound failure; i.e., failure through the reinforcement.
(f) 0.75 against internal failure.
(g) 0.75 against local bearing failure (lateral squeeze).

263-Geosynthetic Design

3
Topic #625-000-002
FDOT Design Manual January 1, 2019

(2) Nominal Tension Resistance of Reinforcement: The maximum long term

reinforcement tensile resistance of the geosynthetic must be:
Tult
Ta =
RFc RFd CRF

Where:
Ta = The nominal long term reinforcement tensile resistance.
Tult = The ultimate strength of a geosynthetic in accordance with
ASTM D 6637 for the reinforcement oriented normal to the slope.
RFc = Reduction factor for installation damage during construction for the
appropriate fill material (sand or limerock).
RFd = Reduction factor for durability (due to Chemical or Biological
degradation).
CRF = Creep reduction factor. (Tult/Tcreep)
Tcreep = Serviceability state reinforcement tensile load based on minimum
10,000 hour creep tests.

These reinforcement specific parameters can be found in the APL.

For applications involving reinforcing slopes with geosynthetic, the minimum design life is
75 years.

(3) Soil Reinforcement Interaction: Friction reduction factors are presented as Soil-
Geosynthetic Friction values in the APL for each approved geosynthetic product.

263.6 Geosynthetic Reinforcement Design Guidelines

These design guidelines are excerpted from the FHWA Publications (a) FHWA GEC 011
(FHWA-NHI-10-024 & FHWA-NHI-10-025), "Design and Construction of Mechanically
Stabilized Earth Walls and Reinforced Soil Slopes-Volumes 1 & 2", and (b) No.
FHWA HI-95-038, "Geosynthetic Design and Construction Guidelines". Designers
should refer to these publications for further details.

(1) Reinforced Slope - see reference (a) FHWA GEC 011.

Step 1. Establish the geometry and loading - see Figure 263.6.1.

Step 2. Determine the engineering properties of the in-situ soils.

263-Geosynthetic Design

4
Topic #625-000-002
FDOT Design Manual January 1, 2019

Step 3. Determine the properties of the reinforced fill and the retained fill.

Use the following default values for fill soil within the reinforced
volume when the fill material source is not known:

For sand fill: φ= 30°, γ = 105 pcf, c = 0;

For crushed limerock fill: φ= 34°, γ = 115 pcf, c = 0.

Step 4. Evaluate design parameters for the reinforcement.

Step 5. Check unreinforced slope stability.

Step 6. Design reinforcement to provide a stable slope.

Step 7. Check external stability and service limit state deformations.

Step 8. Evaluate requirements for subsurface and surface water runoff

control.
(2) Reinforced Foundation over Soft Soils - see reference (b) FHWA HI-95-038.

Step 1. Define embankment dimensions and loading conditions - see Figure

263.6.2.

Step 2. Establish the soil profile and determine the engineering properties of
the foundation soil.

Step 3. Obtain engineering properties of embankment fill materials.

Step 4. Establish appropriate resistance factors and operational settlement

criteria for the embankment.

The resistance factors must not exceed the following:

(a) 0.65 against bearing failure of subsoil
(b) 0.65 against pullout failure in select soil
(c) 0.50 against pullout failure in plastic soil
(d) 0.65 against lateral spreading (sliding) of the embankment
(e) 0.75 against external, deep-seated failure at the end of
construction

263-Geosynthetic Design

5
Topic #625-000-002
FDOT Design Manual January 1, 2019

(f) 0.65 against external, deep-seated failure at the end of

construction, when supporting a structure.
(g) 0.65 against tensile failure of the reinforcement

Settlement criteria: depends upon project requirements

Step 5. Check bearing capacity, global stability (both short and long term),
and lateral spreading stability.

Step 6. The geosynthetic reinforcement should be designed for strain

compatibility with the weak in-situ soil.

Based on the type of weak in-situ soil, the maximum design strain in
the geosynthetic (εgeosynthetic) is as follows:

Cohesionless soil: εgeosynthetic = 5%*

Cohesive soils: εgeosynthetic = 5%*
Peat: εgeosynthetic = 10%*

* For all cases, limit εgeosynthetic to the strain at failure minus 2.5%

Step 7. Establish geosynthetic strength requirements in the geosynthetic's

longitudinal direction.

Step 8. Establish geosynthetic properties.

Step 9. Estimate magnitude and rate of embankment settlement.

Step 10. Establish construction sequence and procedures.

Include all stages of construction. Base the analysis of each stage

on the estimated strength of the subsoils at the end of the previous
construction stage.

Step 11. Establish construction observation requirements.

Use instrumentation such as settlement plates, piezometers, and/or

inclinometers to monitor the performance of the construction.
Establish the monitoring criteria, such as the maximum rate of
piezometric and/or settlement change that must occur before the
next stage of construction can proceed.

263-Geosynthetic Design

6
Topic #625-000-002
FDOT Design Manual January 1, 2019

Figure 263.6.1 Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil Slopes

Notations: H = slope height

θ = slope angle
L = length of primary reinforcement
L' = length of secondary reinforcement, 4' minimum
Sv = vertical spacing between primary reinforcements, 4' maximum
Sv' = vertical spacing between secondary reinforcements, 1' maximum
q = surcharge load
Δq = temporary live load
dwf = depth to groundwater table in foundation
γr, γb, γ = unit weights of soils in reinforced, retained and foundation,
respectively
φr, φb, φ = friction angles of soils in reinforced, retained and foundation,
respectively
c', cu = cohesion strength parameters of foundation soil

263-Geosynthetic Design

7
Topic #625-000-002
FDOT Design Manual January 1, 2019

Figure 263.6.2 Geosynthetic Reinforced Foundations over Soft Soils

(1) The spacing between any two reinforcements must be 6 to 12 inches.

(2) Extend the reinforcement layer(s) below the embankment to 3 feet beyond the toe
of slope or the development length required to resist pullout, whichever is longer.
(3) Additional layers of reinforcement may be added below or within the embankment.

263-Geosynthetic Design