Structural applications of CODE_BRIGHT: a review on numerical modelling of reinforced soil structures

The present document presents a review on the use of the finite element software package CODE_BRIGHT to simulate reinforced soil structures (RSS). RSS are composed of longitudinal steel or polymeric materials, placed orthogonal to the main stress direction in a soil mass, acting as tension-bearing e...

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Main Authors: Aníbal Moncada, Ivan P. Damians
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-05-01
Series:Frontiers in Built Environment
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2025.1553500/full
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author Aníbal Moncada
Aníbal Moncada
Ivan P. Damians
Ivan P. Damians
Ivan P. Damians
author_facet Aníbal Moncada
Aníbal Moncada
Ivan P. Damians
Ivan P. Damians
Ivan P. Damians
author_sort Aníbal Moncada
collection DOAJ
description The present document presents a review on the use of the finite element software package CODE_BRIGHT to simulate reinforced soil structures (RSS). RSS are composed of longitudinal steel or polymeric materials, placed orthogonal to the main stress direction in a soil mass, acting as tension-bearing elements. A common application of RSS is in retaining structures, in the form of reinforced soil walls (RSWs). RSW are usually designed with analytical methods, which have limited capabilities when predicting a structure’s deformation response. To improve on this, the use of numerical tools allows to quantify the stress-strain response of complex, compound structures, such as RSWs. Several factors must be considered when modelling RSS, including reinforcement response, which can be non-linear under several circumstance (including time- and temperature-dependencies), soil-reinforcement interaction, soil-structure interaction, and soil response, all of which can be affected by the presence of moisture. Using laboratory measured data, the individual response of reinforcements (e.g., creep elongation), as well as the compound behaviour of soil-reinforcement material (e.g., pullout response) can be simulated to explore individual and compound response. Depending on the modelled phenomena, numerical simulations may include 2D and 3D representations. For full-scale reinforced soil walls, the stress-strain response within the soil mass, reinforcements, concrete facing panels, and connections can be studied in magnitude and distribution. Details regarding special considerations of how to model such structures with CODE_BRIGHT and other commercially available software are provided. Insights on the thermo-hydraulic repone of RSWs are covered. Advantages, limitations and future lines of research in the use of CODE_BRIGHT are explored.
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spelling doaj-art-102939fac8264fd08df2fbc143ce3d312025-08-20T03:54:01ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Built Environment2297-33622025-05-011110.3389/fbuil.2025.15535001553500Structural applications of CODE_BRIGHT: a review on numerical modelling of reinforced soil structuresAníbal Moncada0Aníbal Moncada1Ivan P. Damians2Ivan P. Damians3Ivan P. Damians4Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (DECA), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya·BarcelonaTech (UPC), Barcelona, SpainGeomechanics group, International Centre for Numerical Methods in Engineering (CIMNE), Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering (DECA), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya·BarcelonaTech (UPC), Barcelona, SpainGeomechanics group, International Centre for Numerical Methods in Engineering (CIMNE), Barcelona, SpainVSL International Ltd., Barcelona, SpainThe present document presents a review on the use of the finite element software package CODE_BRIGHT to simulate reinforced soil structures (RSS). RSS are composed of longitudinal steel or polymeric materials, placed orthogonal to the main stress direction in a soil mass, acting as tension-bearing elements. A common application of RSS is in retaining structures, in the form of reinforced soil walls (RSWs). RSW are usually designed with analytical methods, which have limited capabilities when predicting a structure’s deformation response. To improve on this, the use of numerical tools allows to quantify the stress-strain response of complex, compound structures, such as RSWs. Several factors must be considered when modelling RSS, including reinforcement response, which can be non-linear under several circumstance (including time- and temperature-dependencies), soil-reinforcement interaction, soil-structure interaction, and soil response, all of which can be affected by the presence of moisture. Using laboratory measured data, the individual response of reinforcements (e.g., creep elongation), as well as the compound behaviour of soil-reinforcement material (e.g., pullout response) can be simulated to explore individual and compound response. Depending on the modelled phenomena, numerical simulations may include 2D and 3D representations. For full-scale reinforced soil walls, the stress-strain response within the soil mass, reinforcements, concrete facing panels, and connections can be studied in magnitude and distribution. Details regarding special considerations of how to model such structures with CODE_BRIGHT and other commercially available software are provided. Insights on the thermo-hydraulic repone of RSWs are covered. Advantages, limitations and future lines of research in the use of CODE_BRIGHT are explored.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2025.1553500/fullCODE_BRIGHTreinforced soil structuresnumerical modellinggeotechnical structurescoupled analysisgeosynthetics
spellingShingle Aníbal Moncada
Aníbal Moncada
Ivan P. Damians
Ivan P. Damians
Ivan P. Damians
Structural applications of CODE_BRIGHT: a review on numerical modelling of reinforced soil structures
Frontiers in Built Environment
CODE_BRIGHT
reinforced soil structures
numerical modelling
geotechnical structures
coupled analysis
geosynthetics
title Structural applications of CODE_BRIGHT: a review on numerical modelling of reinforced soil structures
title_full Structural applications of CODE_BRIGHT: a review on numerical modelling of reinforced soil structures
title_fullStr Structural applications of CODE_BRIGHT: a review on numerical modelling of reinforced soil structures
title_full_unstemmed Structural applications of CODE_BRIGHT: a review on numerical modelling of reinforced soil structures
title_short Structural applications of CODE_BRIGHT: a review on numerical modelling of reinforced soil structures
title_sort structural applications of code bright a review on numerical modelling of reinforced soil structures
topic CODE_BRIGHT
reinforced soil structures
numerical modelling
geotechnical structures
coupled analysis
geosynthetics
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2025.1553500/full
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