Reliability-Based Design for External Stability of Mechanically Stabilized Earth Walls
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 5, Issue 3
Abstract
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 . This probability of external failure is similar to inherent probability of failure reported by other investigators for similar geotechnical structures.
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Acknowledgment
The Royal Thai Government provided financial support for this study. This support is gratefully acknowledged.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 5 • Issue 3 • September 2005
Pages: 196 - 205
Copyright
© ASCE.
History
Received: Jun 4, 2004
Accepted: Aug 12, 2004
Published online: Sep 1, 2005
Published in print: Sep 2005
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