AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF STABILITY OF RANDOM RUBBLE DRY STONES RETAINING WALLS

Abstract

An experimental study has been conducted to investigate the stability of Dry Random Rubble stones retaining walls, R . R . Dry- stones masonry retaining wall models of trapezoidal section of size 100 cm (height)x51 cm (Bottom inclined width)x20cm (Top width) were constructed in a 300cm x 200cm x120 cm. size enclosed on the tilt table and back filled on one side with dry cohesion less sand. The five models studied have different condition for the stone courses constituting the retaining wall. In the first model the retaining wall was constructed having the stone courses horizontal. In the second the stone courses were made inclined towards the backfill and perpendicular to the front face. In the third model the courses were arranged as in II model but the voids between the stones were filled with sandy " soil. In the fourth model the courses were arranged as in model II but with the bonding elements (Concrete bar running across the section) with horizontal spacing of 33cm. along the length and height of the wall. This was a sort of reinforcement in the R.R. dry masonry wall. The fifth model was constructed * with the courses inclined as in model II but with putting horizontal Layer of sand cement mortar at an interval of 33cm along the height. The table was tilted at very-very slow rate till the failure of wall.