Response to discussion by S. H. Mirmoradi and M. Ehrlich on "Geosynthetic reinforcement stiffness for analytical and numerical modelling of reinforced soil structures" by Richard J. Bathurst1 and Fahimeh M. Naftchali2, Geotextiles and Geomembranes, 49 (2021) 921–940

• The model was made purposely simple to focus attention on the qualitative influence of stiffness on reinforcement loads. • Using numerical models to infer quantitative performance of actual MSE walls must be undertaken with caution and skill. • Small changes in numerical model details can give widely different estimates of reinforcement loads. • The veracity of any numerical model should be based on comparisons with more than one physical wall of realistic height. • The accuracy of design methods must be assessed using measured loads from full-scale walls, not numerical models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]