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Evaluation of Pile Application for Slopes on Bedrock Stability

Article in Applied Mechanics and Materials · March 2015

DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.744-746.479

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Applied Mechanics and Materials Vols. 744-746 (2015) pp 479-484 Online: 2015-03-23
© (2015) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland
doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.744-746.479

Evaluation of pile application for slopes on Bedrock stability

Mudthir Bakri1, a, Yuanyou Xia 1,b ,Chunshu Chen1,c , Huabin Wang 2,d
1,
Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, 430070,China
2
Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
a
mbbakri@hotmail.com, bxiayy1965@126.com, cccsjxx@126.com, dhuabin@mail.hust.edu.cn

Key words: slope stability; safety factor; socketed length, pile displacement; failure mode.

ABSTRACT.This paper presents a numerical study that performs the stability of slopes on bedrock
reinforced with single pile row at different locations. The slope is formed of top sliding soil layer
that underlies over rock. The numerical analysis has been implemented by employing the three
dimensional analysis using FLAC3D. The results indicate that as the pile location is moved towards
the slope crest the displacement increases.
In the single row of pile application, the factor of safety reached its maximum value when the pile
located at the top middle of the slope. Considering the failure mode the results has conclude three
failure modes; above, in front, and through the pile according to the location of the pile. Failure
mode is also affected by socketed length of pile in bedrock layer. It is believed that the findings of
this study contribute to the engineers performing slope stability analysis in practice.

INTRODUCTION
Slope stability is one of the important and complicated issues in geotechnical engineering. It is
affected by slope geometry, soil strength, groundwater table and many external factors. Stabilizing
with the pile is one of the stabilizing techniques that allow for a resistance to slope system on the
failure surface in special for the troubles occurring from soft soils and heavy loading. Although the
piles have been applied in different positions to enhance the slope stability; still have many pertain
about them. The lateral loads resulting from the soil movement develop bending moments and the
deflections in the pile may induce failure of the structural system. The soil slope- pile is
complicated due to its 3-dimensional behavior[1, 2].Many methods have been developed for the
analysis of piled slopes[3]. Limit equilibrium is common approach utilized in previous studies
whereas; the factor of safety of the piled slope is known as the ratio of the resisting moment to the
overturning moment acting on the potentially sliding mass. The moment of resisting (due to shear
strength of soil) and driving moment are obtained by applying some suggested methods such as
bishop method. Boundary element process was used to determine failure surface and both driving
and resisting moments in the pile-slope system[4]. A different form of limit analysis named the
kinematic methods was expended for the slope stability reinforced with piles. For the stability
analysis of slope improved with pile, it always accepted that a lateral force and a moment could be
applied at the depth of the potential failure surface[5]. Recently displacement method has been
proposed to assess the response of piles due to a translational failure mode underneath an
embankment slope. Slope-pile systems are better suited for stiff soils due to the best generation of
soil arching, whereas soft soil can move between piles. The piles should sufficiently socket lower
than the failure plane to prevent the slope sliding, otherwise it may introduce sliding of slope along
some other failure plane. The factors that controlled the force on a pile used for slope stabilization
can be are as follows the factor of safety of slope, soil properties, slope angle, pile location, pile
diameter and pile spacing. The pile for the slope stabilization is mostly penetrated through the
failure surface to the stable underlying soil. The pile-slope system mainly admits the design steps of
assessing the shear force required to increase to desired factor of safety of slope and computing the
maximum lateral force of pile from the sliding soil.
This paper presents a numerical study that performs the slope stability analysis with pile using
finite difference method. The failure mechanisms have been discussed for reinforced slope pile
system. The displacements of s of slope-pile systems have been computed at different pile locations

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480 Advances in Civil Engineering and Transportation IV

to investigate the effect of pile location on displacement and failure shape of the slope. The
contribution of pile socketed length on the displacement has been evaluated. The study is conceived
to add to the engineers in practice attempting different pile location and different socketed length in
slopes underlies rock stability.

MATERIALS AND METHOD

Numerical method and Materials
Generally the stability of slopes reinforced with one row of piles is evaluated using pressure or
displacement based methods, by applying a presumed or measured pressure or displacement
distribution on piles granting to receive or in-situ evaluated values induced by lateral soil
movements; merely it cannot describe the actual coupled pile-soil interaction, and it lead to an
inexact estimations. The finite element/finite difference methods combined with shear strength
reduction can be a good alternative, since it simulates the coupled interaction of pile-slope system
and calculate the global factor of safety conveniently. The global factor of safety of slopes
reinforced with one row of piles in shear strength reduction method is same to the one in limit
equilibrium method. The reduced shear strength parameters, Cred and φred , are defined as
C
C red = 1
FOS

φred =tan−1(tan φ / FOS ) 2

Figure 1 Slope Model and Finite Difference mesh

The continuum response of sliding soil is modeled using Mohr-Coulomb model. The failure
envelope for this model corresponds to a Mohr-Coulomb criterion with tension cutoff. The position
of a stress point on this envelope is governed by a non-associated flow rule for shear failure, and an
associated rule for tension failure. The isotropic elastic model is used to describe constitutive
behavior of both pile and rock. The main parameters required in model calculation are shown in
table1.Slope angle was selected to 40° while S/D is selected to be 3 in the model.
Table 1. Material Properties required in the model computations
Material Properties Pile Sliding soil Rock
Density (Kg/m3) 2400 2000 2200
Elastic Properties
Young's Modulus (Mpa) 1. E+06 2. E+02 2.4E+04
Poissison's Ratio 0.2 0.3 0.2
Strength Properties
Cohesion (Kpa) 23
Friction Angle(°) 12

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

The results of the numerical analysis which demonstrate good picture of the failure mechanism of
the slope at different pile location ( x p /x ) have been presented in Fig.2. The factor of safety at each
 Applied Mechanics and Materials Vols. 744-746 481

position has also been presented in Fig.2. The failure mechanisms are shown by the magnitudes of
arrow and color shading shapes. They comparatively afford a well indication of failure mechanism.
In these contours of shear-strain increment, the colors from blue to brown symbolize a decrease in
the magnitude of deformation within the failure mechanism.
As the reduction factor approaching to factor of safety the estimate displacement got increasing
larger and the zones with maximum shear strain increments (SSI) become apparent. The zones with
maximum SSI represent the base of critical sliding surface as presented in Fig 2. As shown from
this figure, the area of the failure zone is relatively smaller after adding the anti sliding pile row
when the x p /x =0.125 and the maximum strain drop from 5E-2 to 6.69E-6.

a)No Pile ,FOS=1.0 m b)XP/X=0.125, FOS=1.1797

c)XP/X=0.250 ,FOS=1.2891 d) XP/X=0.50 ,FOS=1.4922

e) XP/X=0.750 ,FOS=1.4141 f) XP/X=0.875 ,FOS=1.2891

Figure 2 Shear Strain rate and velocity vector for different pile location
The maximum reduction in strain rate is achieved when the pile is located at the middle of the slope.
Failure mode can be investigated by examining the velocity vectors at different pile location; three
modes of failure can be yielded from our simulation as presented in Fig 2 depending on pile
location; 1) Slope failure above the anti sliding pile as shown in figure 5.b and 5.c.2) Slope failure
below anti sliding piles Figure (5.f and 5e). 3) Slope failure through the pile as depicted in figure
5.d.As shown from Fig.2.b, if the pile is constructed near to the toe of slope, the deformations
within the failure plane and toe are more reduced compared with the case of no pile. In the case of
installation of the pile in the middle or towards the top of slope, right part of the pile-slope system is
maintained well; however, left part toward the toe of slope clearly presents an increased
deformation which should be regarded for slope stability.
The observed failure mechanisms of slopes in Fig.2 in general raise different failure zones.
Nevertheless, it can be generally stated that the shear failure surfaces can be nearly modeled by the
circular shear surfaces. It is shown from the shear surfaces that they are restricted at the toe of slope
at the first case where the pile is positioned at 0.125X and at the toe of slope and at the top of slope
482 Advances in Civil Engineering and Transportation IV

when the pile is at 0.875X . It is obvious from figure 3 when the pile is located at the bottom of
slope the displacement is relatively small, but at the failure zone is laying back to the pile. The pile
displacement shows an increased trend when the pile is located at the middle of slope, and the
failure zone distributed along both sides of the pile. When the pile is located at positioned greater
than 0.5X is displacement showing an extra displacement accompanying with an extensive strain
as present in fig 2.e and 2.f below the anti slide pile. The slope angle affects the displacement
magnitude of maximum displacement as shown in figure 4, whereas with slope angle increase there
is a significant increase in displacement magnitude without change in the displacement pattern with
pile location.
Displacement (cm)
Pile Location (Xp/X)
-12.0 -10.0 -8.0 -6.0 -4.0 -2.0 0.0
0.00 0.00 0.20 0.40 0.60 0.80 1.00
0
0.20

Max Displacement (cm)

-4
Normalised Depth
0.40
-8
XP = 0.125
0.60
XP = 0.250 -12
XP = 0.500
XP = 0.750 SA 40
0.80 -16
XP = 0.875
SA45

1.00 -20
Figure 4 Effect of Slope Angle on Maximum Pile
Figure 3 Pile Displacement at different pile Displacement at different Pile location
locations

To investigate the effect of pile socketed length on pile displacement and failure mode of the slope
pile system , model was build at slope angle of 25°and 35°,S/D=2.0 ,and Xp=0.5. It has been
found that the Socketed length of the pile played an important role in displacement as shown in
figure 6 hereinafter it is obvious the magnitude of displacement is decreased with the increase of
socketed part of the pile. This can be attributed into two issues; firstly, the increase of the load zone
which is subjected to the pile, second, the required embedded length to maintain full fixity. The pile
displacement showing the same pattern of the sliding soil when their socketed portion is
approaching to zero. Figure 5 shows different contours of strain stress rate for various socketed
ratios with the corresponding factor of safety. It is apparent that the effect of socketed length has a
significant impression after the portion socketed into bedrock becomes less than 12%, If the
socketed ration is less than 12% the depth of sliding surface showing no change.
These results are in well agreement with a previous Study presented by Bakri[6]. Figure 7 Show
that the maximum displacement of antisliding pile for different socketed ratio , it’s clearly found
that the displacement has same pattern for different slope angles and the maximum displacement is
reached when socketed ratio become less than 12%.

Socketed Length 40%,FOS=1. 1.43 Socketed Length 19%, FOS=1. 1.43

 Applied Mechanics and Materials Vols. 744-746 483

Socketed Length 12% FOS=1.20 Socketed Length 6%,FOS=1.16

Figure 5 Velocity vector and Shear strain rate for different socketed lenghts
The behavior of the pile at different spacing can be manifested by the deflection of piles at the
failure mode of the slope as shown in figure8. The results show that with increasing pile spacing,
the displacement of the piles is increases; this can be attributed to the fact that the loading zone of
each pile is impressed by lateral movements of sliding soil, and is consequently, increased by the
increase of spacing between piles. The maximum displacement of the pile has the same trend for
different slope angles as presented in Figure 9.

Figure 7 Pile Maximum Displacement at

different slope Angle

Figure 6 Pile Displacement at different socketed

length
484 Advances in Civil Engineering and Transportation IV

Figure 8 a) Pile displacement at different S/D Figure 9 Maximum Pile Displacement for
ratios, Slope Angle=25°

CONCLUSION
A numerical study has been performed for analyzing the stability of slopes on bedrock reinforced
with single row piles. The results indicate that there are three failure modes in slopes overlaying a
bedrock layer and reinforced with piles; above, below, and through the pile. The failure mode of the
slope is related to location of the pile on the slope.
The Socketed length of the pile affects pile displacement and failure mode. Piles should be
imbedded to more than 12% of their lengths to achieve maximum factor of safety and to protect the
slope from excessive failure modes. Considering the factor of safety with economy, this study can
adequately suggest to locate the pile at middle of the slope with socketed length greater the
12%.Numerical solutions presented here require verification by laboratory experiments (e.g. in a
centrifuge) and by field measurements.

Reference:-
[1] Won J, You K, Jeong S, Kim S. Coupled effects in stability analysis of pile–slope systems.
Computers and Geotechnics. 2005;32(4):304-15.
[2] Martin G, Chen C-Y. Response of piles due to lateral slope movement. Computers & structures.
2005;83(8):588-98.
[3] Ito T, Matsui T. Methods to estimate lateral force acting on stabilizing piles. Soils and
foundations. 1975.
[4] Poulos HG. Design of reinforcing piles to increase slope stability. Canadian Geotechnical
Journal. 1995;32(5):808-18.
[5] Ausilio E, Conte E, Dente G. Stability analysis of slopes reinforced with piles. Computers and
Geotechnics. 2001;28(8):591-611.
[6] Bakri M, Xia YY, Wang HB. Numerical Analysis of Stabilization of Slopes Overlying Bedrock
Using Piles and Effect of Socketed Length of Pile on Stability. Applied Mechanics and Materials:
Trans Tech Publ, 2014. p. 424-31.
 Advances in Civil Engineering and Transportation IV
10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.744-746

Evaluation of Pile Application for Slopes on Bedrock Stability

10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.744-746.479

DOI References
[1] Won J, You K, Jeong S, Kim S. Coupled effects in stability analysis of pile-slope systems. Computers and
Geotechnics. 2005; 32(4): 304-15.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2005.02.006
[4] Poulos HG. Design of reinforcing piles to increase slope stability. Canadian Geotechnical Journal. 1995;
32(5): 808-18.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/t95-078
[5] Ausilio E, Conte E, Dente G. Stability analysis of slopes reinforced with piles. Computers and
Geotechnics. 2001; 28(8): 591-611.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0266-352X(01)00013-1

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