Description

This webinar offering concentrates on application of LRFD principles to MSE walls. MSE walls are commonly used as fill walls and are often found to be cost-effective compared to cast-in-place reinforced concrete and other fill type walls for wall heights above 10-12 feet. MSE walls can be designed and constructed in a wide range of configurations ranging from routine grade-separated structures to multi-tiered walls and bridge abutments. The webinar assumes that the participant has a working knowledge of design and construction of MSE retaining walls. Accordingly, the webinar concentrates on application of LRFD principles to MSE walls. The webinar content first introduces basic MSE wall terminology and forces which will serve as a background for subsequent topics within the webinar. This introduction is followed by presentation of applicable loads and load factors, use of minimum and maximum load factors for permanent and surcharge loads, and identification of limit states and resistance factors. External and internal failure modes are discussed in the context of strength, extreme event, and service limit states. Each topic is based on routine MSE wall configurations, such as walls with level backfill, traffic surcharges, and sloping backfill. MSE walls with complex geometries, such as tiered walls and true bridge abutments, are briefly discussed.