Probabilistic-Based Analysis of MSE Walls Using the Latin Hypercube Sampling Method
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 18, Issue 9
Abstract
Traditionally, factors of safety have been used to design mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls; however, the uncertainties associated with input parameters have not been considered. The probabilistic analysis of MSE walls was an appropriate approach to consider all uncertainties. The authors of this paper investigated the performance of MSE walls by using reliability and sensitivity analyses. A finite-element model of an MSE wall was developed and verified on the basis of field measurements of a reference wall to approximate performance functions. The failure probability of the MSE wall was determined using the first-order second-moment (FOSM), first-order reliability method (FORM), and improved Latin hypercube sampling (iLHS) method, considering external and internal stability in addition to the horizontal wall displacement limit state. Uncertainties associated with soil and reinforcement properties, soil–geosynthetic interface friction angle, and the magnitude of surcharge load were considered for the reliability analysis. Probabilistic characteristics of soil unit weight, soil friction angle, soil–geosynthetic friction angle, geosynthetic tensile strength, and modulus of elasticity of the geosynthetic were experimentally determined, and over 500 tests were performed. A sensitivity analysis was then performed through the FOSM and FORM, and the most effective random variables were determined according to each limit state function. The reliability analysis revealed that, although the FOSM and FORM were appropriate methods to determine the initial approximation of the failure probability of a MSE wall, the iLHS method was more practical and accurate for this analysis because of the nonlinearity of the limit states. Furthermore, the sensitivity analysis results indicated that the most effective parameter in sliding and pullout failure was the soil–geosynthetic interface friction angle, and in overturning, it was the soil friction angle. Moreover, the most effective parameter, second only to the tensile strength of the geosynthetic, was the surcharge load in the rupture limit state. In conclusion, the most significant random variables for horizontal wall displacement in the sequence were the modulus of elasticity of the geosynthetic, magnitude of the surcharge load, and soil friction angle.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
AASHTO. 2010. LRFD bridge design specifications. 5th ed. Washington, DC: AASHTO.
Abdelouhab, A., D. Dias, and N. Freitag. 2011. “Numerical analysis of the behaviour of mechanically stabilized earth walls reinforced with different types of strips.” Geotext. Geomembr. 29 (2): 116–129. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geotexmem.2010.10.011.
Allen, T. M., A. S. Nowak, and R. J. Bathurst. 2005. Calibration to determine load and resistance factors for geotechnical and structural design. Transportation Research E-circular E-C079. Washington, DC: Transportation Research Board.
ASTM. 2001. Standard test method for determining tensile properties of geogrids by the single or multi-rib tensile method. ASTM D6637. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
ASTM. 2004. Standard test method for direct shear test of soils under consolidated drained conditions. ASTM D3080. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
Basha, B. M., and G. L. S. Babu. 2011. “Seismic reliability assessment of internal stability of reinforced soil walls using the pseudo-dynamic method.” Geosynth. Int. 18 (5): 221–241. https://doi.org/10.1680/gein.2011.18.5.221.
Basha, B. M., and G. L. S. Babu. 2012. “Target reliability-based optimisation for internal seismic stability of reinforced soil structures.” Géotechnique 62 (1): 55–68. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.8.P.076.
Basha, B. M., and G. L. Sivakumar Babu. 2010. “Reliability assessment of internal stability of reinforced soil structures: A pseudo-dynamic approach.” Soil Dyn. Earthquake Eng. 30 (5): 336–353. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soildyn.2009.12.007.
Basha, B. M., and G. L. Sivakumar Babu. 2011. “Reliability based earthquake resistant design for internal stability of reinforced soil structures.” Geotech. Geol. Eng. 29 (5): 803–820. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-011-9418-9.
Bathurst, R. J., T. M. Allen, and A. S. Nowak. 2008. “Calibration concepts for load and resistance factor design (LRFD) of reinforced soil walls.” Can. Geotech. J. 45 (10): 1377–1392. https://doi.org/10.1139/T08-063.
Bathurst, R. J., B. Huang, and T. M. Allen. 2011. “Load and resistance factor design (LRFD) calibration for steel grid reinforced soil walls.” Georisk Assess. Manage. Risk Eng. Syst. Geohazards 5 (3–4): 218–228. https://doi.org/10.1080/17499518.2010.489828.
Berg, R. R., R. Bonaparte, R. P. Anderson, and V. E. Chouery. 1986. “Design, construction and performance of two geogrid reinforced soil retaining walls.” In Proc., 3rd Int. Conf., Geotextiles, 401–406. Jupiter, FL: International Geosythetics Society.
Bergado, D. T., and C. Teerawattanasuk. 2008. “2D and 3D numerical simulations of reinforced embankments on soft ground.” Geotext. Geomembr. 26 (1): 39–55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geotexmem.2007.03.003.
Chalermyanont, T., and C. H. Benson. 2004. “Reliability-based design for internal stability of mechanically stabilized earth walls.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 130 (2): 163–173. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1090-0241(2004)130:2(163).
Chalermyanont, T., and C. H. Benson. 2005. “Reliability-based design for external stability of mechanically stabilized earth walls.” Int. J. Geomech. 5 (3): 196–205. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1532-3641(2005)5:3(196).
Christian, J. T. 2004. “Geotechnical engineering reliability: How well do we know what we are doing?” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 130 (10): 985–1003. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1090-0241(2004)130:10(985).
Christopher, B. R., S. A. Gill, J.-P. Giroud, I. Juran, J. K. Mitchell, F. Schlosser, and J. Dunnicliff. 1990. Reinforced soil structures Vol. I. Design and construction guidelines. FHWA-RD-89-043. Northbrook, IL: STS Consultants.
Cindric, M., K. Minazek, and S. Dimter. 2006. “Influence of reinforcing geogrids on soil properties.” Tehnički vjesnik 13: 21–25.
Damians, I. P., R. J. Bathurst, A. Josa, and A. Lloret. 2015. “Numerical analysis of an instrumented steel-reinforced soil wall.” Int. J. Geomech. 15 (1): 04014037. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0000394.
Damians, I. P., R. J. Bathurst, A. Josa, A. Lloret, and P. J. R. Albuquerque. 2013. “Vertical-facing loads in steel-reinforced soil walls.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 139 (9): 1419–1432. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0000874.
Der Kiureghian, A. 2004. “Chapter 14. First-and second-order reliability methods.” Engineering design reliability handbook. Edited by E. Nikolaidis, D. M. Ghiocel, and S. Singhal. Boca Raton, FL: CRC.
Desai, C. S., and K. E. El-Hoseiny. 2005. “Prediction of field behavior of reinforced soil wall using advanced constitutive model.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 131 (6): 729–739. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1090-0241(2005)131:6(729).
Gens, A., I. Carol, and E. E. Alonso. 1989. “An interface element formulation for the analysis of soil-reinforcement interaction.” Comput. Geotech. 7 (1–2): 133–151. https://doi.org/10.1016/0266-352X(89)90011-6.
Haldar, A., and S. Mahadevan. 2000. Probability, reliability and statistical methods in engineering design. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Hasofer, A. M., and N. C. Lind. 1974. “Exact and invariant second-moment code format.” J. Eng. Mech. Div. 100 (1): 111–121.
Hatami, K., and R. J. Bathurst. 2005. “Development and verification of a numerical model for the analysis of geosynthetic-reinforced soil segmental walls under working stress conditions.” Can. Geotech. J. 42 (4): 1066–1085. https://doi.org/10.1139/t05-040.
Hatami, K., and R. J. Bathurst. 2006. “Numerical model for reinforced soil segmental walls under surcharge loading.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 132 (6): 673–684. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1090-0241(2006)132:6(673).
Huang, B., R. J. Bathurst, and T. M. Allen. 2012. “LRFD Calibration for steel strip reinforced soil walls.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 138 (8): 922–933. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0000665.
Huang, B., R. J. Bathurst, and K. Hatami. 2009. “Numerical study of reinforced soil segmental walls using three different constitutive soil models.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 135 (10): 1486–1498. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0000092.
Huntington, D. E., and C. S. Lyrintzis. 1998. “Improvements to and limitations of Latin hypercube sampling.” Probab. Eng. Mech. 13 (4): 245–253. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0266-8920(97)00013-1.
Kang, F., S. Han, R. Salgado, and J. Li. 2015. “System probabilistic stability analysis of soil slopes using Gaussian process regression with Latin hypercube sampling.” Comput. Geotech. 63 (Jan): 13–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2014.08.010.
Karpurapu, R., and R. J. Bathurst. 1995. “Behaviour of geosynthetic reinforced soil retaining walls using the finite element method.” Comput. Geotech. 17 (3): 279–299. https://doi.org/10.1016/0266-352X(95)99214-C.
Kazimierowicz-Frankowska, K. 2005. “A case study of a geosynthetic reinforced wall with wrap-around facing.” Geotext. Geomembr. 23 (1): 107–115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geotexmem.2004.05.001.
Kianfar, E., and V. Toufigh. 2016. “Reliability analysis of rammed earth structures.” Constr. Build. Mater. 127: 884–895. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2016.10.052.
Low, B. K., and W. H. Tang. 1997. “Reliability analysis of reinforced embankments on soft ground.” Can. Geotech. J. 34 (5): 672–685. https://doi.org/10.1139/t97-032.
Mahsuli, M., and T. Haukaas. 2013. “Computer program for multimodel reliability and optimization analysis.” J. Comput. Civil Eng. 27 (1): 87–98. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CP.1943-5487.0000204.
Meyerhof, G. G. 1982. “Limit states design in geotechnical engineering.” Struct. Saf. 1 (1): 67–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/0167-4730(82)90015-7.
Nowak, A. S. 1999. Calibration of LRFD bridge design code. NCHRP Rep. 368. Washington, DC: Transportation Research Board.
Ouria, A., and A. Mahmoudi. 2018. “Laboratory and numerical modeling of strip footing on geotextile-reinforced sand with cement-treated interface.” Geotext. Geomembr. 46 (1): 29–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geotexmem.2017.09.003.
Ouria, A., V. Toufigh, C. Desai, V. Toufigh, and H. Saadatmanesh. 2016. “Finite element analysis of a CFRP reinforced retaining wall.” Geomech. Eng. 10 (6): 757–774. https://doi.org/10.12989/gae.2016.10.6.757.
Palmeria, E. M., and G. W. E. Milligan. 1989. “Scale and other factors affecting the results of pull-out tests of grids buried in sand.” Géotechnique 39 (3): 511–542. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.1989.39.3.511.
Phoon, K.-K., and F. H. Kulhawy. 1999. “Characterization of geotechnical variability.” Can. Geotech. J. 36 (4): 612–624. https://doi.org/10.1139/t99-038.
Rowe, R. K., and K. L. Soderman. 1987. “Stabilization of very soft soils using high strength geosynthetics: The role of finite element analyses.” Geotext. Geomembr. 6: 53–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/0266-1144(87)90057-4.
Saliby, E. 1997. “Descriptive sampling: an improvement over Latin hypercube sampling.” In Proc., 29th Conf., Winter Simulation, edited by S. Andradóttir, K. J. Healy, D. H. Withers, and B. L. Nelson, 230–233. Washington, DC: IEEE Computer Society.
Sayed, S., G. R. Dodagoudar, and K. Rajagopal. 2008. “Reliability analysis of reinforced soil walls under static and seismic forces.” Geosynth. Int. 15 (4): 246–257. https://doi.org/10.1680/gein.2008.15.4.246.
Sayed, S., G. R. Dodagoudar, and K. Rajagopal. 2010. “Finite element reliability analysis of reinforced retaining walls.” Geomech. Geoeng. 5 (3): 187–197. https://doi.org/10.1080/17486020903576788.
Sivakumar Babu, G. L., and A. Srivastava. 2007. “Reliability analysis of allowable pressure on shallow foundation using response surface method.” Comput. Geotech. 34 (3): 187–194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2006.11.002.
Toufigh, V., C. S. Desai, H. Saadatmanesh, V. Toufigh, S. Ahmari, and E. Kabiri. 2014a. “Constitutive modeling and testing of interface between backfill soil and fiber-reinforced polymer.” Int. J. Geomech. 14 (3): 04014009. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0000298.
Toufigh, V., F. Saeid, V. Toufigh, A. Ouria, C. S. Desai, and H. Saadatmanesh. 2014b. “Laboratory study of soil–CFRP interaction using pull-out test.” Geomech. Geoeng. 9 (3): 208–214. https://doi.org/10.1080/17486025.2013.813650.
Yoo, C. 2004. “Performance of a 6-year-old geosynthetic-reinforced segmental retaining wall.” Geotext. Geomembr. 22 (5): 377–397. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geotexmem.2003.12.001.
Yoo, C., and H.-Y. Jung. 2006. “Case history of geosynthetic reinforced segmental retaining wall failure.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 132 (12): 1538–1548. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1090-0241(2006)132:12(1538).
Yu, Y., and R. J. Bathurst. 2017. “Probabilistic assessment of reinforced soil wall performance using response surface method.” Geosynth. Int. 24 (5): 524–542. https://doi.org/10.1680/jgein.17.00019.
Yu, Y., R. J. Bathurst, and T. M. Allen. 2016a. “Numerical modeling of the SR-18 geogrid reinforced modular block retaining walls.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 142 (5): 04016003. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0001438.
Yu, Y., R. J. Bathurst, and T. M. Allen. 2017. “Numerical modelling of two full-scale reinforced soil wrapped-face walls.” Geotext. Geomembr. 45 (4): 237–249. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geotexmem.2017.02.004.
Yu, Y., R. J. Bathurst, T. M. Allen, and R. Nelson. 2016b. “Physical and numerical modelling of a geogrid-reinforced incremental concrete panel retaining wall.” Can. Geotech. J. 53 (12): 1883–1901. https://doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2016-0207.
Yu, Y., R. J. Bathurst, and Y. Miyata. 2015a. “Numerical analysis of a mechanically stabilized earth wall reinforced with steel strips.” Soils Found. 55 (3): 536–547. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sandf.2015.04.006.
Yu, Y., I. P. Damians, and R. J. Bathurst. 2015b. “Influence of choice of FLAC and PLAXIS interface models on reinforced soil–structure interactions.” Comput. Geotech. 65 (Apr): 164–174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2014.12.009.
Zevgolis, I. E., and P. L. Bourdeau. 2010. “System reliability analysis of the external stability of reinforced soil structures.” Georisk Assess. Manage. Risk Eng. Syst. Geohazards 4 (3): 148–156. https://doi.org/10.1080/17499511003630496.
Zevgolis, I. E., and P. L. Bourdeau. 2017. “Reliability and redundancy of the internal stability of reinforced soil walls.” Comput. Geotech. 84 (Apr): 152–163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2016.11.022.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2018 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jul 21, 2017
Accepted: Feb 14, 2018
Published online: Jul 11, 2018
Published in print: Sep 1, 2018
Discussion open until: Dec 11, 2018
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.