351 / 2019-10-24 09:27:37

Robust Geotechnical Design for Soil Slopes Considering Uncertain Parameters

Slope stability; Uncertain parameter; Reliability index; Design robustness; Optimization

计算力学在工程中的应用 > 计算岩土力学与岩土工程

Designing the geometry of soil slope is an effective treatment for preventing slope
failure. How to deal with the uncertainties involved in soil parameters in geotechnical design
is a main concern of geotechnical engineers. A robust geotechnical design for soil slopes
(RGDS) approach is proposed, in which the Uncertainty Theory is introduced to describe
explicitly the uncertainties involved in soil parameters. The reliability index (RI) is often used
to describe the risk of slope failure in the uncertain method. The design robustness describing
the insensitivity between the variation in the system response and the variation of input
uncertain soil parameters, is evaluated by the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The objectives of
this design are to maximize the design robustness, and minimize the excavation cost and
guarantee the safety (maximize the reliability index). Therefore, the RGDS is formulated as a
multiobjective optimization, and the optimal design can be determined based on the concepts
of Pareto front and knee point. The proposed RGDS approach is illustrated through a
numerical case of a two-layer slope design. The numerical results can indicate that the RGDS
approach is not only more intuitive and easier to follow, but also more computationally
efficient.