The paper describes the numerical analysis results of strip footings supported on new lock enhanced integral geocell reinforced sand beds. The 3-D finite element package ABAQUS was used to perform more realistic three-dimensional, nonlinear finite element analyses. The interface between soil and reinforcement is modeled by the contact pair option in ABAQUS. The numerical model was validated with the experimental studies and the results are found to be in good agreement with each other. The vali-dated numerical model was used to study the influence of the geocells on the performance of the rein-forced foundation. It was found that new lock enhanced integral geocell can decrease settlement and in-crease bearing capacity of foundation. Both vertical and horizontal displacement and the stress distribution of the soil foundation were studied. It was found that the geocells reinforcement layer can de-crease both displacement and stress. The vertical confinement of geocells is due to the friction between the infill material and the geocell wall and restrains the soil from moving outside. The geocell-reinforced base can thus provide lateral and vertical confinement, tensioned membrane effect, and wider stress dis-tribution which result in better performance.
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