ABSTRACT: A series of shaking table tests was performed on relatively small-scale models
of a geosynthetic-reinforced soil retaining wall with a full-height rigid facing and conventional
type (gravity-type, leaning-type, and cantilever-type) retaining walls. Tilt table tests
were also conducted on the geosynthetic-reinforced soil retaining wall and the leaning-type
model walls. The seismic stability of these different types of walls are evaluated by both
shaking and tilt table test methods and compared with each other. The observed critical seismic
acceleration coefficients are compared with the values predicted by the conventional
pseudo-static approach. Similarly, the observed failure plane angles in the backfill are
compared with the predicted values. The effects of simple shear deformation of the reinforced
backfill for the reinforced-type walls and the effects of post-peak reduction of shear
resistance along the failure plane are also discussed.