Effects Analysis of Expansive Soil Slope Reinforced with Geogrid Considering Long Term Weathering

Abstract

Considering the long-term atmospheric weathering effects on expansive soil strength, geogrid reinforcement effects of expansive soil slope are analyzed with FLAC3D. The research in this paper shows that: (1) when the reinforcement is deeper than the weathered layer, the inhibition effect of soil stress and displacement increases with increasing length of geogrid, in this case a critical slip arc moves away from the slope surface, and the maximum safety factor of slope stability increases approximately 50 percent; the grid stress decreases with the increasing height of grid location; (2) when the reinforcement depth exceeds the weathered layer 1 m, the denser geogrid in the vertical direction, the smaller shear stress and horizontal deformation in reinforced region, so that the slope safety factor increase and the critical slip arc moves towards the slope back. However,if the geogrid length exceeds the weathered layer more than 3 m, the vertical grid distance change has no significant influence on the safety factor and the location of critical slip surface.