Where is the Optimal Pile Location on Earth Slopes?

Abstract

Numerous analytical and numerical studies were conducted to determine the optimal location of one row of piles for stabilizing earth slopes. Results of different analyses were different and sometimes even contradictory. The designer is always faced with the question of “where is the optimal location of piles on earth slopes?” This paper studied the reason for different and sometimes contradictory results obtained from searching for the best location of piles on earth slopes. Moreover, the effects of slope angle and soil type on the optimal location of pile were also studied. The results of the Limit Equilibrium (LE) analysis and Limit Analysis (LA) method and numerical method compared. The numerical and experimental experiences indicated that in order to obtain the maximum factor of safety for the critical slip surface the best pile location in non-cohesive soils was at the middle of slope; while the best location in cohesive soils was in the one-third middle region. The results properly comply with another’s due to a single failure mechanism where one-third middle region is.