Reliability-Based Design for External Stability of Mechanically Stabilized Earth Walls

A two-phase approach was used to develop a reliability-based design (RBD) method for external stability of mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls. In the first phase, a parametric study was conducted using Monte Carlo simulation to identify parameters that affect the probability of external failure of MSE walls. Three modes of failure were considered: sliding, overturning, and bearing capacity. External stability was assessed by treating the reinforced soil as a rigid mass using the same procedures employed for conventional gravity-type wall systems. Results from the parametric study indicate that the mean and coefficient of variation of the backfill friction angle are significant for sliding, the mean and coefficient of variation of the friction angle of the backfill and coefficient of variation of the unit weight of the backfill are significant for overturning, and the mean and coefficient of variation of the friction angle of the foundation soil and the mean of the backfill friction angle are significant for bearing capacity. In the second phase, a series of additional simulations was conducted where the significant parameters identified in the parametric study were varied over a broad range. Results of these simulations were used to develop a set of RBD charts for external stability of MSE walls. A comparison indicates that similar reinforcement lengths are obtained using RBD and conventional methods and that the inherent probability of external failure in conventional deterministic design is equal to or less than 0.001. This probability of external failure is similar to inherent probability of failure reported by other investigators for similar geotechnical structures.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/15323641
• Authors:
  • Chalermyanont, Tanit
  • Benson, Craig H
• Publication Date: 2005-9

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 196-205
• Serial:
  • International Journal of Geomechanics
  • Volume: 5
  • Issue Number: 3
  • Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers
  • ISSN: 1532-3641
  • EISSN: 1943-5622
  • Serial URL: http://ascelibrary.org/journal/ijgnai

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Backfill soils; Bearing capacity; Design; Design charts; Earth walls; Failure; Foundation soils; Geosynthetics; Geotechnical engineering; Mechanically stabilized earth; Monte Carlo method; Overturning; Parametric analysis; Reliability (Statistics); Simulation; Soil structure; Stability (Mechanics)
• Uncontrolled Terms: Friction angle; Sliding
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Design; Geotechnology; Highways; I42: Soil Mechanics;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01003854
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 20 2005 7:13AM