Why is honeycomb structure the key to “strong support”?
The core advantage of honeycomb structure lies in its high specific strength, that is, the load capacity that the material can bear per unit weight is extremely strong. HDPE geocell adopts honeycomb layout to transfer stress from one unit cell to the surrounding cells evenly, avoiding stress concentration and making the whole structure have good force uniformity**. Even after the filler is loaded, the deformation of the cell is effectively limited, thus ensuring the overall stability of the foundation or road surface.
Effectively limit lateral displacement and improve the locking force of fillers
When the bearing capacity of the foundation is insufficient, it is usually manifested as lateral flow of the surface filler, causing the roadbed to sink, deform or even collapse. After the honeycomb cells are filled with materials, they form a closed three-dimensional confined space**. Each cell is like a "cage" that locks the sand, gravel, soil and other granular materials inside.
Horizontal load diffusion and vertical stress dispersion
The honeycomb structure can diffuse local concentrated loads in multiple directions around it, which is equivalent to converting point loads into surface loads, thereby reducing uneven foundation settlement caused by single-point force. This "redistribution mechanism" of force greatly improves the bearing capacity and stability of the soil for vertical loads.
Improve the modulus and overall stiffness of the composite structure
After filling, the honeycomb structure forms a "reinforced composite" structure, in which loose materials such as soil, sand and gravel are constrained and their deformation capacity is limited, which greatly increases the equivalent elastic modulus of the entire composite layer and significantly enhances the foundation stiffness.
Based on elastic theory, when the foundation stiffness increases, the structure reacts less and settles more slowly when subjected to dynamic loads (such as moving vehicles and equipment vibrations), thereby improving the durability of the road or platform. This composite reinforcement mechanism is particularly significant under conditions of strong mechanical vibration, heavy traffic or loose geology.
How does HDPE honeycomb cells improve bearing capacity?
Mechanism for enhancing vertical support
After the HDPE cells are unfolded, they form uniform and regular honeycomb units. After being filled with gravel, sand or mixed fillers, each unit cell has independent support capabilities. Under the action of external loads (such as vehicles, machinery, and structures):
The cell wall plays a role of vertical rigid support, which can partially replace the thickness of the traditional cushion layer;
Each cell has minimal deformation after being stressed, effectively preventing the settlement from concentrating on a single point;
The composite filler body formed by the cell has a higher structural "overall stiffness" than a simple sand and gravel layer, which improves the bearing capacity per unit area.
Limit lateral displacement and improve overall stiffness
Under weak foundations, traditional fillers often experience "lateral pushing" or "rutting effect", that is, obvious lateral displacement occurs under repeated loads, destroying the integrity of the foundation structure. The HDPE honeycomb cell "encloses" the filler through the cell wall, forming a closed and confined space, which effectively solves this problem.
The cell wall prevents the granular material from sliding sideways, forming a "particle locking effect", similar to a skeleton structure;
Resisting shear force and horizontal tension, significantly improving the shear strength of the filler layer;
After the structural stiffness is enhanced, the entire roadbed or slope is more resistant to deformation and more stable.
Avoid local settlement and improve stability
In uneven foundations, fillers often cause settlement differences or even structural damage due to uneven compaction, humidity changes or weak soft soil layers. The unit segmentation effect of HDPE honeycomb cells can significantly reduce this risk:
Each honeycomb unit is like an "independent support unit" to separate and buffer uneven foundation settlement;
Although there is linkage between units, local force will not cause overall collapse;
Reduce longitudinal cracks, roadbed arching, soft subsidence and other diseases.
Effect of geometric parameters of honeycomb structure on bearing capacity
Cell height refers to the vertical height from the bottom to the top of the honeycomb unit after it is stretched and expanded, usually in millimeters (such as 100mm, 150mm, 200mm, 250mm, etc.).
Impact on bearing capacity:
The greater the height, the deeper the "buffer zone" of the overall structure, which can more effectively absorb the deformation caused by the load;
High cells perform better in soft foundations or thick filling conditions, and are suitable for large vehicle traffic areas or dam foundations;
However, if the cells are too high and not fully filled or compacted, their reinforcement effect may be weakened due to uneven settlement.
Weld Spacing
The weld spacing between geocell belts is the side length of each honeycomb unit, which affects the unit area density and structural strength.
Impact on bearing capacity:
The smaller the spacing, the denser the honeycomb unit, the stronger the overall rigidity of the structure, and it is suitable for high load conditions;
Larger spacing is suitable for projects with low bearing capacity requirements but large paving area and fast construction speed requirements;
Dense cells can better limit the lateral diffusion of fillers and improve particle locking performance.
Strip Width & Thickness
The width and thickness of the HDPE strip of the honeycomb directly determine the rigidity, flexibility and durability of the honeycomb wall.
Bearing capacity relationship:
The greater the thickness, the stronger the shear and deformation resistance, and the more stable the structure can be under repeated impact of the filler;
The wide strip increases the side wall area of the honeycomb unit, enhancing its locking ability and impact resistance;
But it will also increase the material cost and welding difficulty, so it is necessary to reasonably match the application scenario.
Anchor length and edge design
In order for the honeycomb cells to achieve good load-bearing, reasonable anchoring is also required to prevent the overall structure from slipping or lifting.
Key points of design:
It is recommended to extend the edge by 30–50cm to form a "locking edge area" for nailing or anchor reinforcement;
It is recommended to set up an anchoring layer + transverse tie in the high fill area to improve the overall structural stability;
In heavy traffic areas, the edge parts should be appropriately increased with denser welds to prevent "edge failure".
