A Parametric Study Leading to Software Analysis Revealing an Equation for the Preliminary Design of Reinforced Earth Embankments   Mwasha Abrahams University of West Indies Department of Civil Engineering St Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago West Indies W.I. Email: amwasha@eng.uwi.tt
			ABSTRACT

Once appropriate soil parameters i.e. physical and mechanical parameters, pore water pressure, slope geometry are established, slope stability checks need to be performed to ensure passive forces are greater than the active forces tending to cause a slope failure. The designer should be able to ensure that the slope is stable by assigning a certain Factor of Safety (FOS). Two methods have been recommended for limit equilibrium analyses of reinforced slopes. These two major traditional methods are based on allowed and ultimate values. Sometimes the analysis using these equations is performed for the non-geotextile condition, and a critical slip circle and minimum factor of safety is obtained. A driving moment MD and soil resistance moment MR are determined. If the Factor of Safety without geotextiles is inadequate, then an additional reinforcement resistance moment can be computed. It has been found that by using these equations for designing the reinforcement required to maintain a specific stability they underestimate the values of required reinforcement compared to the results obtained from the GTS CADBUILD (GEO5) software. In this paper back-analyzed data from GEO5 software has been used to create an empirical equation for preliminary design of the required reinforcement to maintain a specific FOS. The results derived using this equation is compared with data derived using traditional equations.

Keywords: embankment, reinforcement, Factor of safety, critical slip circle parameters, limit equilibrium, slopes

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