Analysis of Slopes, Earth Retaining Structures and Underground Structures, Assig’t#3 for PG in Road & Transport.

1. Characteristics of embankment and foundation:

Without geofoam:-
Unit weight of embankment fill = 18 kN/m3, Unit weight of foundation soil = 18 kN/m3, Height of embankment
including pavement covering (He) = 5 m, Thickness of pavement covering = 0.6 m, Liquid limit = 60%,
Thickness of compressible layer (Hp) = 12 m, Unit weight of pavement layer = 19 kN/m3

With geofoam:-
Height of geofoam embankment He = 5.0 m, Unit weight of geofoam = 0.18 kN/m3
Calculate the settlement of embankment without and with geofoam. Discuss the difference of the obtained
results and give your justification in detail. Use Holtz and Kovac (1981) recommendation to calculate the
settlement.

By Dr. Y.Z. Beju, University of Gondar, Gondar Institute of Technology, Department of Civil Engineering, Dec, 2020
Analysis of Slopes, Earth Retaining Structures and Underground Structures, Assig’t#3 for PG in Road & Transport.
2. Check the bearing capacity of the foundation without and with geocell mattress. Assume shape of the base is
circular with size of 0.32 m width. Discuss the difference of the obtained results and give your justification in
detail.
Without geocell case:
Unit weight of soil (γ) = 20 kN/m3, Angle of internal friction (ɸ) = 25°, Cohesion of soil = 0 kPa
With geocell mattress:
Unit weight of soil (γ) = 22 kN/m3, Angle of internal friction (ɸ) = 30°, Cohesion of soil = 0 kPa

3. A geotextile tube has the following properties:

Pressure head (b1) = 8 m, Circumference (S) = 10 m, Allowable hoop tension in fabric, Tallowable = 250 kN/m,
unit weight of slurry, γ = 10 kN/m3. Determine factor of safety as well as dimensions of the geotextile tube.
Graphical method for determination of tube parameters is based on research performed by Liu, Goh and Silvelter
as described by Silvester (1990). The design curves for final dimensions and geotextile strength are shown in the
Figure below. Where, H = Sausage height, H' = Height of greatest width, b1 = pressure head, S = circumference,
B = width, B' = Contact width at base, A = Cross-sectional area, T = Hoop tension in fabric, γ = unit weight of
slurry

By Dr. Y.Z. Beju, University of Gondar, Gondar Institute of Technology, Department of Civil Engineering, Dec, 2020
Analysis of Slopes, Earth Retaining Structures and Underground Structures, Assig’t#3 for PG in Road & Transport.

Fig. Design curves for final dimensions and geotextile strength (After Silvester, 1990 and Pilarczyk, 1997)

4. Compute the total passive resistance against a vertical force of a foundation in contact with a frictional soil
mass having a height of 3 m. (a) according to the ɸ-circle method (b) according to the logarithmic-Spiral
method. The soil has ɸ' = 25o, C = 20 kN/m3, Cw = 15 kN/m2, δ =15o, γ = 19 kN/m3

5. An anchored bulkhead is to be designed to retain a granular backfill of 9 m height above the dredge line. The
anchor rod is to be provided at a depth of 1 m below the top level of the fill. Assuming that the water table is
2 m below the top of the fill and that the backfill soil as well as the soil below the dredge line have the same
soil properties (ɸ' = 32o, γ = 20 kN/m3), compute the penetration depth of the bulkhead and the tensile force
in the anchor rod. Use both the Free and Fixed Earth Support Methods. Check your results graphically.

6. An embankment 23 m high and 12 m wide at the top is constructed with a slope of 50 o. The soil is partially
saturated clay. The upper 15 m of soil has c = 96 kPa, ɸ =15o and γ = 18 kN/m3. The remaining 8 m has c
=43 kPa, ɸ =12o and γ = 17 kN/m3. Compute the factor of safety. Use the method of slices.

7. A slope with i = 45 o and height 20 m is shown in Figure below. Plot a curve showing factor of safety (FS)
versus the embankment slope (i) for the values of i ranging from 20o to 90o.

By Dr. Y.Z. Beju, University of Gondar, Gondar Institute of Technology, Department of Civil Engineering, Dec, 2020
Analysis of Slopes, Earth Retaining Structures and Underground Structures, Assig’t#3 for PG in Road & Transport.

8. An embankment 10 m high and carrying a surcharge of 50 kPa is proposed for a certain project. For
determining the shear parameters of the soil, a triaxial test was carried out and the Mohr envelope gave
shearing resistance of 273 kPa and 506 kPa for effective normal stresses of 500 kPa and 1000 kPa
respectively. If γ = 19 kN/m3, determine the slope of the embankment, (a) for “no seepage” condition (b) for
a “rapid drawdown” condition (c) for “steady flow” condition.

9. A reinforced earth retaining wall (ref. Fig.8.23) is to be 10 m high.

Wall height, H = 10 m, backfill unit weight of soil, γ1 =19 kN/m3 and friction angle of soil, ɸ' = 30o,
reinforcement, vertical spacing, S V = 1 m, reinforcement horizontal pacing, SH = 1.2 m, Surcharge pressure, q =
200 kPa, a' = 1.5 m, b' = 2 m, width of reinforcement, w = 5 m, yield strength of the tie material, fy =380 kPa,
soil-tie friction angle, ɸμ = 25o, factor of safety for both against tie pullout and tie breaking = 3.
a) Calculate the vertical stress, σo at z = 1.5 m, 3 m, 6 m, 10 m.
b) Determine the required thickness of ties
c) Determine the required maximum length of the ties.
d) Assume that the ties at all depths are the length determined in part (c). For the in-situ soil, ɸ'2 = 25o, γ2 =17
kN/m3, c'2 = 20 kPa. Calculate the factor of safety against (a) overturning, (b) sliding, and (c) bearing
capacity failure. Assume suitable data wherever necessary.

By Dr. Y.Z. Beju, University of Gondar, Gondar Institute of Technology, Department of Civil Engineering, Dec, 2020
Analysis of Slopes, Earth Retaining Structures and Underground Structures, Assig’t#3 for PG in Road & Transport.

10. An anchored sheet pipe bulked is shown in Figure. Let, L1 =4 m, L2 = 9 m, t1 = 2 m, γ =17 kN/m3, and ɸ' =
34o. using the free earth support method:
a) Calculate the theoretical value of the depth of embankment, D
b) Draw the pressure distribution diagram
c) Determine the anchor force per unit length of the wall
Assume that Dactual = 1.3Dtheory
i. Determine the theoretical maximum moment
ii. Using Rowe’s moment reduction technique, choose a sheet pile section. Take E = 210,000
MPa and σall = 210 kPa.

By Dr. Y.Z. Beju, University of Gondar, Gondar Institute of Technology, Department of Civil Engineering, Dec, 2020
Analysis of Slopes, Earth Retaining Structures and Underground Structures, Assig’t#3 for PG in Road & Transport.

11. A single anchor slab is shown in the Figure below. H = 0.9 m, h = 0.3 m, γ =17 kN/m3, ɸ = 32o. calculate
the ultimate holding capacity of the anchor slab if the width B is (a) 0.3 m, (b) 0.6 m and (c) 0.9 m.
(Note: center to center spacing, S' =∞). Use the empirical correlation given below.

Where, A = area of the anchor = Bh

12. The braced cut shown in Fig. below. Given γ =17 kN/m3, ɸ =35o, and c' = 0. The struts are located at 3 m
center-to-center in the plan. Assume that σall = 170 MPa.

By Dr. Y.Z. Beju, University of Gondar, Gondar Institute of Technology, Department of Civil Engineering, Dec, 2020
Analysis of Slopes, Earth Retaining Structures and Underground Structures, Assig’t#3 for PG in Road & Transport.
a) Draw the earth pressure envelope and determine the strut loads at levels A, B, and C.
b) Determine the sheet pile section modulus
c) Determine the section modulus of the wales at level B.
d) Determine the factor of safety against the bottom heave for the braced cut. Assume that c =20 kPa
and the length of the cut, L = 10 m.

13. What is major difference in between limit equilibrium method and finite element method for slope
stability analysis?

Submission date & time: 10 Jan, 2021 before 6:00 PM.

By Dr. Y.Z. Beju, University of Gondar, Gondar Institute of Technology, Department of Civil Engineering, Dec, 2020