Abstract: Geocells, characterized by a three-dimensional honeycomb structure, are commonly utilized as a specialized geosynthetic material to restrict lateral soil deformation in the reinforcement of subgrades, slopes, and retaining walls. Throughout the operational lifespan of geocell-reinforced soil structures, the geocells are subjected to varying angles and layers of shear forces, potentially leading to the penetration of potential sliding surfaces through the geocell reinforcement layer. In order to examine the actual stress distribution within the geocell-reinforced layer, we analyzed the stress-strain behavior under different shear angles, layers, and width-to-height ratios using numerical methods based on direct shear tests. The findings demonstrate evident anisotropy within the geocell-reinforced layer. The geocell enhances the cohesion and internal friction angle of the soil, exhibiting disparities from existing triaxial test outcomes. Maximum shear strength of the reinforcement layer is observed when the shear plane passes through the middle of the geocell in parallel. As the angle between shear plane and geocell increases, the shear strength gradually diminishes. Furthermore, an increase in the width-to-height ratio of geocell corresponds to a linear rise in shear strength.

Key words: geocell, geosynthetics, direct shear, numerical simulation