Evaluation of the Bending Failure of Columns under an Embankment Loading

Abstract

Embankment stability issues present design and research challenges to geotechnical engineers. Current design methodologies for the stability of embankments on columns are mainly evaluated under assumptions of a shear failure of columns, which may cause an overestimation of the embankment stability when a bending/tensile failure occurs. In addition, the coupling effect of the impact factors on the embankment stability is rarely considered. In this investigation, the effect of various factors, including the soil conditions, column arrangement, and embankment geometries, on the embankment stability is first numerically analyzed. Based on the generated numerical data, a multivariate adaptive regression splines model that maps the multidimensional relationship between the affecting parameters and the bending/tensile failure of columns is developed. The relative importance of the variables on the bending failure of columns is quantitatively analyzed. The accuracy and reliability of the developed model on predicting the bending/tensile failure of columns is validated with collected centrifuge test data from the literature.