Limit Equilibrium Analyses for Internal Design of Geosynthetic Reinforced Slopes: Influence of Potential Failure Surface and Strength Distribution

The paper presents results from a computer code, based on limit equilibrium analyses, able to quantify earth pressure coefficients for the internal design of geosynthetic reinforced soil structures and identify the potential failure surfaces. Failure mechanisms assuming bilinear or logarithmic spiral failure surfaces are considered. The influence of the potential failure surface and geosynthetic strength distribution on the earth pressure coefficient is analysed. Required reinforcement tensile strengths calculated by the developed program are compared with values published in the literature. To further evaluate the capabilities of limit equilibrium analyses, the numerical modelling of a geosynthetic reinforced steep slope, designed at ultimate limit state conditions (FS = 1), is also presented. Good agreement was achieved between the potential failure surfaces predicted by limit equilibrium analyses and those obtained with numerical modelling.