STABILIZATION OF EARTH SLOPE USING PILES

Abstract

The slope failure causes considerable losses in the economy and human life. Thus, assuring slope stability becomes a fundamental issue in geotechnical engineering. A literature review was conducted to summarize the modes and the causes of slope failure besides the different slope stabilization methods, especially the piles. It is considered an efficient solution in reinforcing the slopes. A comparison was conducted between different analytical methods used to calculate the slope stability and the forces acting on the piles due to the slope movements based on the previous researches. Also, this comparison shows the advantages and the disadvantage of each method. The review also includes the piles' parameters that affect the safety factor as the piles' length and spacing. After that, two case studies were used to investigate the pile's effect in slope stabilization. Also, they used in comparing the analytical method with the other methods from the literature. These models were developed by Plaxis 3D using the shear strength reduction method because it gives simulation for the coupled pile-slope interaction and conveniently calculates the global safety factor. In case study one, the 3d finite element models using plaxis 3d v20 were verified with xinpo’s 2d FLAC models. These models are used to study the change in the slope failure mechanism for different pile spacing and pile positions. Then, a comparison was implemented between the results from the 3d finite element model and the other methods from literature, such as the limit equilibrium method, the finite difference method 2d, and 3d. A parametric study was also conducted to study the position's effect and the spacing between the piles.