Abstract:
This paper describes a research effort that was made possible by DFI’s Committee Project Fund and sponsored by the DFI Deep Foundations for Landslides & Slope Stabilization Committee. The project addresses slope stabilization through use of deep foundation elements (piles) and particularly focuses on the efficiency of linear versus staggered arrangements of piles along a slope. The study investigates the impact of pile arrangement on shear resistance, assuming constant soil properties, pile size, and reinforcement. The research employs Slope/W and Group software for slope stability analysis and reinforcement design; however, the analysis procedure detailed in this paper can be applied to other applicable programs such as Slide, LPile, etc. This paper defines and addresses use of piles to prohibit geotechnical, soil flow, failure. The design procedure involves modeling a stable slope that is close to failure, applying piles to the model, thus increasing shear capacity of the slope, and evaluating pile arrangement efficiency through Group analysis. Results indicate a single row of piles provides a higher shear load per foot of slope; thus, a single row of piles is more efficient than staggered pile arrangements.