Mechanically stabilized earth

Under Reinforced Earth is a composite of soil and reinforcement is understood. This reinforcement may be to thin injection piles, steel or plastic rods (anchor, nails ), friction bands, mats, grids or geotextiles, which are introduced in different ways and direction. Accordingly, different is their stress.

In a narrower sense, the " Reinforced Earth" ( " Terre Armée " ) refers to a form of retaining structures, which was developed by the French engineer Henry Vidal in the 1960s. It is inserted into the soil reinforcing bands, record the tensile forces and these wear by friction in the ground.

Initially passed the reinforcing bars exclusively made ​​of steel. Due to the corrosion problems encountered plastics are used as reinforcement today frequently. On the air side of the reinforced soil is completed by an outer skin made ​​of steel precast concrete or steel plates to which the reinforcement strips are connected.

• Foundation Engineering