Numerical Analysis of Geocell-Reinforced Foundations under Varying Soil Conditions

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Soil behavior plays a critical role in the stability and performance of civil engineering infrastructures, often requiring reinforcement to enhance tensile strength and resistance to various load conditions. Geosynthetic materials, particularly geocells, have emerged as efficient reinforcement systems that significantly improve the mechanical behavior of soil. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the influence of soil strength parameters on the performance of geocell-reinforced foundations. A three-dimensional numerical model was developed using ABAQUS to simulate the mechanical response of a geocell-reinforced soil foundation. The model was validated against benchmark experimental and numerical data reported in previous studies to ensure reliability. The research employed a parametric analysis approach, varying key soil parameters, including the modulus of elasticity, internal friction angle, and specific gravity, to assess their effects on bearing capacity and settlement behavior. The results revealed that soils with higher modulus of elasticity, greater internal friction angle, and higher specific gravity demonstrated improved load-bearing performance and reduced settlement. Among these factors, the internal friction angle exerted the most pronounced impact, leading to substantial improvements in bearing pressure when the soil was reinforced with geocells. These findings highlight the importance of optimizing soil strength parameters in the design of geocell-reinforced foundations and provide a validated numerical framework for predicting their behavior under diverse loading conditions.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Civil Engineering and Applied Solutions
Volume 2, Issue 4
October 2026
Pages 69-78

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History

  • Receive Date: 28 October 2025
  • Revise Date: 26 November 2025
  • Accept Date: 14 December 2025
  • First Publish Date: 14 December 2025

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