Loose Fill Slope Stabilization with Soil Nails: Full-Scale Test
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 134, Issue 3
Abstract
Soil nailing is commonly used for stabilizing cut slopes and retaining structures. The technique is, however, seldom used in stabilizing old loose fill slopes that were not constructed to the current standards. There is a concern that soil-nailed loose fill slopes may not render safety during heavy rainstorms. Little work has been carried out to investigate the behavior of soil-nailed loose fill slopes. This paper presents a comprehensive field test on a loose fill slope that was constructed by end tipping without any compaction—in the same way old fill slopes were formed. The slope was high, wide, and to the horizontal. Two rows of five grouted nails were installed at a grid of at an inclination of from the horizontal. A surface grillage was used to connect the six nails in the middle of the grid. Performance of the nailed slope was monitored with various instruments for about six months until the slope was tested to fail by surcharging and wetting. The overall results show that soil nailing with a surface grillage is a potentially effective way to enhance the stability of old fill slopes.
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Acknowledgments
The writers wish to acknowledge the financial support to this research by the Research Grant Council of HKSAR Government. The kind assistance and valuable contributions of the staff of the Department of Civil Engineering, the University of Hong Kong, and the generosity of Kadoorie Agricultural Research Centre of the University of Hong Kong who provided the site for the test, are gratefully acknowledged.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 134 • Issue 3 • March 2008
Pages: 277 - 288
Copyright
© 2008 ASCE.
History
Received: Feb 13, 2006
Accepted: Mar 15, 2007
Published online: Mar 1, 2008
Published in print: Mar 2008
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