Cost Optimization of Reinforced Earth Walls

This paper deals with optimum cost (objective function) design of geosynthetic reinforced earth retaining walls subjected to static and dynamic loading. The design restrictions are imposed as design constraints in the analysis. Choice of the initial designed length and strength of the reinforcement, which are the elements of the design vectors are made in a way that it forms an initial feasible design vector. Thus the problem is one of mathematical programming. The constraints and the objective function being nonlinear in nature, the Sequential Unconstrained Minimization Technique (SUMT) has been used in conjunction with conjugate direction and quadratic fit methods for multidimensional and unidirectional minimization to arrive at the optimal (minimum) cost of the reinforced earth wall. Optimal cost tables are presented for different combinations of the loading and the developed procedure is validated by taking up an example problem. It has been found from the typical example problem that saving of the order of 7-8% can be made over the conventional design of mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls with the aid of design charts.