Centrifuge model tests on pile-reinforced slopes subjected to drawdown

Abstract

Piles are generally an effective way to reduce the risk of slope failure. However, previous approaches for slope stability analysis did not consider the effect of the piles coupled with the decrease of the water level (drawdown). In this study, a series of centrifuge model tests was performed to understand the deformation and failure characteristics of slopes reinforced with various pile layouts. In the centrifuge model tests, the pile-reinforced slopes exhibited two typical failure modes under drawdown conditions: across-pile failure and through-pile failure. In the through-pile slope failure, a discontinuous slip surface was observed, implying that the assumption of the slip surface in previous stability analysis methods was unreasonable. The test results showed that drawdown led to instability of the piles in cohesive soil, as the saturated cohesive soil failed to provide sufficient constraint for piles. The slope exhibited progressive failure, from top to bottom, during drawdown. The deformation of the piles was reduced by increasing the embedment depth and row number of piles. In addition, the deformation of soils outside the piles was influenced by the piles and showed a similar distribution shape as the piles, and the similarity degree weakened as the distance from the piles increased. This study also found that the failure mechanism of unreinforced and pile-reinforced slopes induced by drawdown could be described by coupling between the deformation localization and local failure, and it revealed that pile-reinforced slopes could reduce slope deformation localization during drawdown.