The use of mechanically stabilized earth as bridge abutments is considered because it eliminates the "bump at the end of the bridge", use of piles, and it is fast, and fairly easy and inexpensive to construct. Several piers and abutments have been built and tested and provided satisfactory results. Current design procedures, however, are considered very conservative. The strength of the reinforcement that is mobilized and its interaction with the soil during loading needs to be better defined to come up with a design methodology that more closely resembles the actual conditions.
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