Strength characteristics of soilbags under inclined loads

The application of soilbags in permanent or semi-permanent projects is becoming increasingly wider. When used in some projects like retaining walls, soilbags are usually undertaken loads that are not perpendicular to their long axis direction, i.e. under inclined loads. In this study, a 2D strength formula of soilbags under inclined loads is derived, expressed as the apparent cohesion $c_T$ resulting from the tensile force of the bags. A way of modeling flexible bags in DEM simulation is proposed. The soilbags stacked at different inclination under biaxial compression is numerically simulated by DEM to verify the derived strength formula of soilbags. The results indicate that under inclined loads, the developed tensile forces of the bags and thus the corresponding apparent cohesion $c_T$ of soilbags decrease with the increasing inclination of soilbags.