Robust Geotechnical Design of Earth Slopes Using Fuzzy Sets
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 141, Issue 1
Abstract
This paper presents a fuzzy set–based robust geotechnical design (RGD) approach for the design of earth slopes in which uncertain soil parameters are represented as fuzzy sets. For a slope with fuzzy sets as inputs, the stability (factor of safety) of the slope is also a fuzzy set. The failure probability of the slope can readily be determined based on the obtained fuzzy factor of safety; further, the design robustness in terms of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) can also be evaluated. The purpose of the RGD is to derive a design that is robust against the uncertainty in the input parameters, with an explicit consideration on safety and cost. Therefore, a multiobjective optimization is performed and a three-dimensional or two-dimensional Pareto front showing a trade-off between objectives can be obtained, which allows for an informed design decision. The effectiveness of the proposed fuzzy set–based RGD approach is demonstrated through an illustrative example.
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Acknowledgments
This material is based on work supported in part by the National Science Foundation (Grant No. CMMI-1200117; project titled “Transforming Robust Design Concept into a Novel Geotechnical Design Tool”; Richard Fragaszy was the Program Director at the National Science Foundation and Hsein Juang of Clemson University was the Principal Investigator). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. The first author acknowledges the financial support provided by the Open Fund of Chongqing Key Laboratory of Geomechanics & Geoenvironment Protection (Logistical Engineering University) (Grant No. CKLGGP2013-04); he also wishes to acknowledge the financial support provided by the Glenn Department of Civil Engineering, Clemson University, through the Aniket Shrikhande Graduate Fellowship. The last author acknowledges the financial support provided by Tongji University, China, for his sabbatical leave at Clemson University.
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© 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Jul 25, 2013
Accepted: Aug 25, 2014
Published online: Sep 24, 2014
Published in print: Jan 1, 2015
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