Mechanical Behaviors of Assembled Multi-step Cantilever-Retaining Walls for High Embankments by Numerical Simulation Method

Assembled multi-step cantilever-retaining walls are a new type of light-retaining structure with low carbon, which can be suitable for high fill earthworks and quickly installed in situ. In order to fully support practical design of the novel-retaining structure, mechanical behaviors of the structure under strip surcharge on the top surface of the backfill in a high embankment example are determined using numerical simulation method via Flac3D program. Analysis results show that the profile of the lateral earth pressure on the vertically assembled walls exhibits multi-segment polyline mode. Apart from the highest step wall member, there is obvious reduction effect of the earth pressure at the top of each wall member. The increases of width of heel plate of wall member, internal friction angle and unit weight of the backfill are helpful to improve the overall stability of the wall-slope system and reducing lateral displacement of the whole wall. Moreover, considering easy construction of the structure in practice, relatively more steps under allowable conditions are also commonly recommended for the retaining structure.