MSE WALLS (GEOSTRIP)
- A mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) wall is a composite earth structure capable of sustaining significant loads and deformation due to the interaction between the backfill material and the stabilizing elements.
- The behavior of a stabilized soil mass depends on a number of factors, including the soil, the reinforcement and the soil/structure.
- Designing of these walls considers important parameters like the soil friction, the cohesion, the interface shear stiffness and the strip elastic modulus.
- The maximum height of the MSE wall unlike Modular block retaining walls can be over 40 m.
Applications.
- Bridge abutments and wing walls,
- Embankments
- For slope stability where foundation soils are poor.
These earth structures are stabilized using Geosynthetic elements such as Geostrips

GEOSTRIPS
- Geostrips are geosynthetic strips engineered for the stabilization of soils or mechanically stabilized earth structures.
- Comprises a core of tensioned high tenacity polyester filament yarn tendons encased in a sheath of linear low density polyethylene.
FUNCTION OF GEO STRIP IN MSE WALLS
- The strip is ribbed along its edges which provides high friction with the soil.
- Once the friction is fully mobilized over the entire strip, it behaves as a stiff reinforcement.
- That higher friction capacity and lower deformation during compaction provided by geostrips improves the strip performance in terms of structural stabilization and constructability compared to others geosynthetic reinforcements.
- It also provides mechanical protection by providing a smooth surface of contact between the concrete panel and the strips and at the same time chemical protection for the concrete.



