Numerical Study of Slope-Stabilizing Piles in Undrained Clayey Slopes with a Weak Thin Layer

Abstract

This paper presents a numerical study using three-dimensional (3D) finite-element (FE) analyses for slopes that contain a weak thin layer and are reinforced with piles. The presence of a thin weak layer usually has a negative effect on slope stability. In the FE analysis, a strength reduction technique is employed using FE software. In the numerical model, an elastic-perfectly plastic with Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion is used for the soils. The pile is assumed to be an elastic member, without considering failure. Some of the effective factors, such as the optimal pile location and pile length, were verified beforehand using two-dimensional (2D) FE analysis. The spacing effect of the pile,