Model walls with test codes WT33, WT37, and WT43 were constructed
with 4, 3, and 6 layers of reinforcement, respectively, and
were considered for the numerical modeling. More details about the
model preparation and testing procedure are given in Krishna
(2008) and Krishna and Latha (2009), and are omitted here for
brevity. Typical results obtained from the physical model tests
are shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Fig. 3 shows the variations of horizontal
displacements, at different elevations corresponding to U1, U2,
and U3 locations for the model wall (WT43) with a six-layer configuration,
with number of cycles. Fig. 3 shows that the displacements increase nonlinearly with an increase in the number
of cycles of seismic excitation. Further higher displacements at
higher elevations are noted. Variation of accelerations with number
of cycles at different elevations corresponding to A0, A2, and A3
locations are presented in Fig. 4 for the model wall (WT43) with six
layers of configuration. It is observed that the acceleration recorded
at 600-mm elevation (A3) is amplified to about 1.22 times of the
base acceleration, whereas the acceleration at the 300-mm elevation
(A2) is amplified to about 1.08 times to the base acceleration.
Fig. 5 presents the comparison among the responses of wrapfaced
model walls with different reinforcing layers in terms of horizontal
displacements, acceleration amplifications, and incremental
pressures at the end of 20 cycles of dynamic excitation. Fig. 5
shows that the displacements decrease with the increase in number
of reinforcement layers. However, acceleration amplifications are
not affected significantly. Incremental pressures also decrease with
increasing reinforcing layers; nevertheless, their variations along
the height of model wall are not consistent.