Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/M31477/01
Title:	DEVELOPING STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY ASSESSMENT OF DRY-STONE RETAINING WALLS
Principal Investigator:	Walker, Professor P
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:	Atkins Pre Nexus Migration Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) Ltd
Department:	Architecture and Civil Engineering
Organisation:	University of Bath
Scheme:	Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts:	01 October 1998	Ends:	31 March 2002	Value (£):	52,725
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Civil Engineering Materials
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Construction
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Summary on Grant Application Form
over a century after thier construction, an estimated 5000 km of dry-stone retaining walls remain in service along Britain's highways. Whilst many continue to provide quite satisfactory service, their maintenance is a growing problem for highway authorities faced with a deteriorating and increasingly unstable stock of ageing walls. Walls commonly fail to satisfy safety requirements of conventional stability checks, which has led to unnecessary intervention work on structures which have lasted many years and still appear quite stable. Current assessmenttechniques, based on simple rigid body stability checks, are inadequate. The distinct element method (DEM) offers a novel, innovative and promising new approach to stability assessment of dry-stone walls. Firther development of the DEM is, however, significantly hinderd by a lack of recent empirical data for wall performance. The proposed research will directly address theseissues through site investigation and in-situ monitoring of existing walls, combined with application of the DEM to these structures. Completion of the project will provide better understanding of dry-sone wall stability, which will allow more efficient and effective maintenance. Early warning of collaspe will help preserve structural form and encourage innovative solutions.Masonary retaining walls, Maintenance, Numerical Modelling and assessment, Civil Engineering, Transport, Structural Integrity
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Organisation Website:	http://www.bath.ac.uk