Modelling Gabion wall in Plaxis 2D

Hi Jaydeep,

Main principle of the gabion wall is resisting the soil later pressure by its own self-weight and according my knowledge in plaxis 2D (i'm using only plaxis 2D) you can model the each gabion wall units as the soil element by providing filling stone properties on it (you can use LE model for that). For gabion wall and  soil interaction you can use interface elements.  examples of some interface values shown below

but please note that each gabion wall units slides on each other, so you need consider the stress from the plaxis result and check whether the friction between 2 gabion units is enough to resist that force.

Thanks.

Dear Jaydeep,

Whether you can use PLAXIS 2D or PLAXIS 3D depends on the geometry and loading conditions, as PLAXIS 2D assumes plane-strain or axisymmetric conditions.

For PLAXIS 3D, you can directly simulate the gabion walls, but I would recommend modeling the filling stones with a volume element using a simple constitutive model, e.g. Mohr-Coulomg or Linear elastic. 

Then, the rectangular baskets of metallic lattice can be simulated using any of our structural elements, e.g. geogrids that work only on tension.

As Nitha mentions the interaction between the gabion wall and the soil/rock should be simulated via interface elements.

Hi Stefanos, 

Do you actually model the step profile of the gabion wall, especially at soil interface? Is there a example where we can follow?

Thanks

Dear Yang,

When modelling the gabion wall as volume elements, then you can draw the profile (with some simplifications) directly. The interface is only a line (for 2D) or a surface (for 3D) that follows this profile where the gabion "touches" the surrounding soil.

Unfortunately, we do not have such a specific example at hand.