Stability of Membrane Reinforced Slopes

Abstract

An analytical approach to membrane reinforced earth is presented. It is based on limit‐equilibrium and variational extremization. The results indicate that the potential failure surfaces are either planar or log‐spiral. The analysis utilizes a reinforcing membrane sheet that is orthogonal to the radius vector defining its intersection with the slip surface. Results of a closed‐form solution imply that: (1) The stronger the membrane the deeper the failure; (2) the membrane's elevation has little effect on the stability or on the location of the slip surface provided that failure is passing through it; (3) the presence of a membrane increases the compressive stress over the critical slip surface; and (4) the presence of a membrane decreases the soil's tensile stress that tends to develop near the crest. The results are presented in a convenient format of stability charts.