Earth Reinforcement and Soil Structure



Preface

J. A. GafTney, CBE, DSc, FEng

Past President of the Institution of Civil Engineers

Few subjects in recent years have raised the general interest and imagination of

the Civil Engineering profession as the concept of reinforcing soil. The basic

simplicity of the principles and the economic benefits which may be gained are

very attractive to the designer constrained by economic problems, while the

possibility of producing alternative and innovative structural concepts gives

scope to the engineer's imagination.

In some areas, developments in the use of earth reinforcement and soil

structures has been dramatic; elsewhere, use has been modest; nowhere has the

subject been ignored. Although academic treatment has been intense, the

driving force and major developments have come from the original practitioners,

government research bodies and the material suppliers, who have

skilfully developed and marketed the benefits of earth reinforcement.

Acceptance and general application and use of any technique require

comprehensive specifications, workable technical standards and reference

examples. In the field of earth reinforcement, these technical specifications

have been provided and the subject is recognized as an important and rapidly

expanding field. The rate of growth has resulted inevitably in a demand for

information on the subject. This textbook is aimed at bridging this information

vacuum.

The book provides a general treatment of the subject of reinforced soil; it is

not exhaustive and is aimed at the practising engineer and the post graduate

student. Although the book covers the theoretical elements in some depth, the

main emphasis is with the practical aspects of the subject in that the subjects of

analysis, economics, construction details, materials and durability are considered

in greater depth than is usual with textbooks.


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