Numerical study for optimal design of soil nailed embankment slopes

Abstract

This paper presents a set of new required programmes written in format data using the built-in programming FISH language available in three-dimensional Fast Lagrangian Analysis of Continua software (FLAC3D). These script data files were developed, to overcome difficulties noted during the nailed slope stability prediction. They established to analyse stability of general embankment slope cases under various soil nailing parameters design. To deal with 3D finite difference analysis results in terms of the factor of safety (FOS) and critical slip surface, both 2D finite difference and limit equilibrium (LEM) methods are also conducted. A comparison of the 3D and 2D results indicates that 2D analyses underestimate seriously stability predictions, notably in terms of the FOS. Therefore, it was concluded that, 3D analysis should be used as an alternative to the 2D analyses, even though it requires more time. Some useful conclusions are obtained from this work, which provides a good practice guidance for real life scenarios.