PROBABILISTIC APPROACH TO DESIGN OF EMBANKMENTS

Safety factors of embankments are analyzed in relation to the variabilities and the uncertainties of soil properties. It is concluded that the unconfined compression strength of a saturated homogeneous clay layer and strength parameters of an unsaturated homogeneous silty soil layer follow the theoretical normal distributions. Such physical properties as moisture content and moist density of those soil layers and moist density of an embankment just after construction are also shown to be taken as the normal random variables. A new design factor is defined and the relation between the design factor and the probability of sliding failure of an emabnkment is formulated under consideration of the randomness of the soil properties. Numerical and practical examples show that the embankment with an ordinary value of the design factor (1.1 - 1.5) has an unexpected high value of the probability of sliding failure (15% - 20%). /TRRL/

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00380806
• Corporate Authors:

  Japanese Society of Soil Mech & Foundation Engrs

  Tokyo,   Japan 
• Authors:
  • Matsuo, M
  • KURODA, K
• Publication Date: 1974-6

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 1-17
• Serial:
  • SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS
  • Volume: 14
  • Issue Number: 2
  • Publisher: JAPANESE GEOTECHNICAL SOCIETY
  • ISSN: 0038-0806

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Analysis; Clay; Design; Embankments; Failure; Mathematical models; Probability theory; Properties of materials; Sand; Saturated soils; Silts; Slope stability; Slopes; Soil stabilization; Soils
• Uncontrolled Terms: Design criteria; Soil properties; Stabilization; Unconfined compression
• Geographic Terms: Japan
• ITRD Terms: 6471: Analysis (math); 4177: Clay; 9011: Design (overall design); 2801: Embankment; 5520: Failure; 6473: Mathematical model; 4105: Sand; 4149: Silt; 5783: Slope stability
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Design; Geotechnology; Highways; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00098102
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 27 1975 12:00AM