There are several application areas for geosynthetics to function as reinforcement. Many developments in this area have taken place recently. Therefore it is a challenging task to include full details of all related aspects in a single paper of limited length. The author of the paper has been successful in completing this task. He has presented most of the topics in a simple manner so that readers and users of geosynthetics can well understand the concepts involved. However, the discusser feels that there are a few important aspects that require more explanation, clarification or addition for the sake of the completeness of the concepts of geosynthetic reinforcement, as well as to enhance the usefulness of the paper. situations, it becomes a difficult task to decide whether the function to be served by a geosynthetic is reinforcement or separation, especially when it is being used in roads, rail tracks, foundations, and embankments. This key issue has not been discussed in the paper. Nishida and Nishigata (1994) have suggested that separation can be an important function compared with reinforcement when the ratio of the applied stress (σ) on the subgrade soil to the shear strength (c_u) of the subgrade soil has a low value (less than 8), and it is basically independent of the settlement of the reinforced soil system (Fig. 9).
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