Dynamic Analysis of Embankments Reinforced with Micro-Piles

Abstract

Application of micro-piles to stabilize unstable slopes has been widely considered in recent years. A micro-pile is a small-diameter (typically less than 300 mm), drilled, and grouted as non-displacement pile that is typically reinforced. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the influence of the micro-pile group on increasing safety factor as well as finding the optimum position of micro-piles across the embankments slopes. In this study, numerical analyses were performed to investigate the efficiency of micro piles on the behavior of embankments using ABAQUS Finite Element code. The analyses have been carried for plane strain conditions and under earthquake loads. Based on acquired results, it was implied that using micro pile groups on the lower part of embankment slope is the optimal approach to reinforce embankments. This can increase the embankment safety factor by 33% in static mode and by 34% in dynamic mode. The impacts of the parameters of micro pile inclination angle, diameter, length, micro-pile spacing, and the type of soil on safety factor in dynamic mode have been investigated. Results show that increasing the length and diameter of the micro piles increase the safety factor. By increasing the micro pile angle in respect to vertical axis up to 30°, safety factor increases but any additional increase of the angle decreases the factor. Furthermore, by increasing the spacing of micro piles up to 4 times the diameter, causes improving the safety factor, but more space has a negative impact. By strengthening the type of the adhesive soil (simultaneous increase of embankment adhesion from 8 KPa to 16 KPa and elasticity module from 30 MPa to 60 MPa), embankment safety factor increases by 40%. Furthermore, by strengthening the sandy soil (simultaneous increase of internal friction angle from 32 to 40 and soil elasticity module from 20 MPa to 45 MPa), the safety factor of embankment increases by 41 percent.