Abstract: The geocell flexible retaining wall is a new type of retaining structures for the slope protection; and it is widely used in highway engineering. The earth pressure against flexible retaining walls is closely related to the mode and amount of wall displacement. By employing the FEM software Plaxis, the deformation laws of geocell flexible retaining wall under different conditions are investigated. The effects of height-width ratio, slope ratio and surcharges on the deformation behavior of the flexible retaining wall is computed and analyzed. The study results show that when the height-width ratio is relatively large, the amount of horizontal displacement and flexural deformation of the wall is also large. And the shape of the wall back is an outer convex parabola. With the decrease of the height-width ratio, the amount of horizontal displacement and flexural deformation of the wall reduces and the shape of the wall back changes in turn. The amount of horizontal displacement of the top of the wall is large when the slope is steep but rapidly decreases when the slope becomes gentle. With the increase of the surcharge on the surface of the slope top, the amount of horizontal displacement of the wall top gradually decreases; while that of total wall displacements and flexural deformation gradually increases. The study results in can provide theoretical basis for the evaluation of the earth pressures against the geocell flexible retaining wall and thus have reference value for the design of such retaining walls

Key words: geocell flexible retaining wall, slope supporting, deformation behavior, height-width ratio, slope ratio, surcharge