Reinforced cushion has been widely used in engineering structures such as highways and railway subgrades subjected to repeated loading and unloading due to its many advantages. To study the deformation characteristics of reinforced cushion under loading and unloading

a single loading and unloading static test was carried out for the two models of gabion mesh reinforced and unreinforced cushions. Variations of vertical deformation of the cushion and reinforcement strain under different loads were monitored and obtained. The deformation characteristics of the reinforced and unreinforced cushions were compared and analyzed

and the working mechanism of the reinforced cushion was discussed in terms of energy. The results show that the settlement and residual deformations of the reinforced cushion (at the location of the loading plate) under loading are smaller than those without reinforcement. The vertical deformation of the surface of the cushion after reinforcement (outside the range of the loading plate) and its affected range have increased. The shape of the horizontal distribution curve of the vertical deformation during the unloading process changes from concave to convex

and its loading and unloading curve shows a shape of “∞”. The reinforcement strain shows a non-uniform distribution along the transverse direction

and the maximum strain is less than 0.06%. The reinforcements are always in an elastic deformation state. The reinforcement in the reinforced cushion has the effect of storing

releasing and laterally transmitting strain energy

which results in better bearing capacity and elastic property of the reinforced cushion

thereby reducing plastic deformation or cumulative deformation of the cushion under cyclic loading and unloading.