Mechanism and analytic model of wrinkled geomembranes around circular structures subjected to differential settlement

A simplified model to analyze the tension and strain of the geomembranes around circular structures subjected to differential settlement was presented based on the conventional membrane theory.It was found that wrinkles would be induced in the geomembranes around the circular structures and the mechanism was investigated.Further,the analytic model was given by introducing the concept of "variable Possion’s ratio" and based on the wrinkled membrane theory so that the tension and strain of the geomembranes considering induced wrinkles could be analyzed.The effects of the differential settlement,the overburden pressure,the interface strength of the geomembranes,the radius of circular structures and the tensile stiffness of the geomembranes on the wrinkles,the tensions and stains of the geomembranes were also studied.It was shown that the behaved degree of wrinkles and the maximum strain of the geomebranes increased with the increase of differential settlement and the decrease of radius of the circular structures.In addition,some practical measures were suggested for controlling the behaved degree of wrinkles as well as the maximum tension and strain of the geomembranes.