GEOSYNTHETICS ENGINEERING: IN

THEORY AND PRACTICE

Prof. J. N. Mandal

Department of civil engineering, IIT Bombay,

Powai , Mumbai 400076, India.
Tel.022-25767328
email: cejnm@civil.iitb.ac.in

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

 Module - 7
LECTURE - 38
Geosynthetics for steep slopes

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

 Recap of previous lecture…..

 Design examples on Limit equilibrium design approach

 Schemertmann’s simple sliding wedge method

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

 JEWELL’S METHOD FOR SLOPE STABILITY
ANALYSIS (1991)

Two part wedge mechanism

The total tensile strength of geosynthetic = T1+T2
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
  ( W 1  Q 1 ) ( t a n  1  t a n '  1 )  ( u 1 t a n  '1  K 1 ) / c o s  1 
T T O T  T1  T 2    
 (1  t a n  1 t a n  ' 1 ) 
 (W 2  Q 2 )(ta n  2   S t a n  '2 )   S ( u 2 t a n  '2  K 2 ) / c o s  2

 
 (1   S t a n  2 t a n  ' 2 ) 

(i  1)  q 
Z i  H   
1   

W1 = weight of the wedge-1 (kN/m),

W2 = weight of the wedge-2 (kN/m),
Q1 = surcharge on wedge -1
Q2 = surcharge on wedge -2
x = the x coordinate of the two – part wedge node (m),
y = the y coordinate of the two – part wedge node (m),
b = slope face angle (degree),
g= unit weight of the soil (kN/m3),
q1 = base angle of wedge-1 (degree),
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
q2 = base angle of wedge-2 (degree),
λs = base sliding factor,
1’ = Angle of internal friction at base of wedge-1 measured
under effective stress conditions (degree),
2’ = Angle of internal friction at base of wedge-2 measured
under effective stress conditions (degree),
T1 = Sum of reinforcement forces acting on wedge-1
(kN/m),
T2 = Sum of reinforcement forces acting on wedge-2
(kN/m),
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
u = pore water pressure (kN/m2),
u1 = pore water pressure acting on base of wedge- 1(kN/m2),
u2 = pore water pressure acting on base of wedge - 2 (kN/m2),
K1 = cohesive force acting on base of wedge -1 (kN/m), and
K2 = cohesive force acting on base of wedge -2 (kN/m).
Zi = depth to ith grid, H = Overall height of reinforced soil slope
N = Number of geogrid layer
q = Surcharge

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

 Jewell (1990) developed the design charts for steep soil
slopes in the form of a two - part wedge surface.

 Limit equilibrium methods are used.

 The length and spacing of geogrid reinforcements under

different pore water pressures can be determined.

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

Design chart for steep reinforced slope with pore pressure
ratio (ru) = 0 (After Jewell, 1991)
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
Design chart for steep reinforced slope with pore pressure
ratio (ru) = 0.25 (After Jewell, 1991)
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
Design chart for steep reinforced slope with pore pressure
ratio (ru) = 0.50 (After Jewell, 1991)
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
The outline of design procedure is mentioned below:
Step 1: Select the required geometry of slope structure
(i.e. height, H and slope angle, ) and surcharge loading,
ws.
Step 2: Select the soil unit weight (γ), angle of friction of
soil () and co-efficient of pore water pressure (ru).
Here, ru is the ratio of pore water pressure at depth “z” to
the vertical pressure at depth “z”; i.e.,
ru = (u/γz) = 0, 0.25 and 0.50.
Step 3: Determine the earth pressure coefficient (Kreq)
from the Jewell’s charts based on the pore water pressure
ratio (ru).
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
Step 4: Determine the ratio of length of reinforcement to the
height of the embankment (L/H) from Jewell’s charts based
on the coefficient of pore water pressure (ru).

 The minimum length at the crest of the slope is that

required for overall stability.
 The minimum length at the base of the slope is the greater
of the two, required for overall stability (Lovrl) and for
preventing direct sliding (Lds).
When reinforcements of constant length are to be used,
select the greater length between Lovrl and Lds.
When direct sliding governs, it is permissible to reduce the
length uniformly from Lds at the base of the slope to Lovrl at the
crest of the slope.
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
Step 5: Determine the effective slope height (H') as follows,

H' = H + ws/ γ (ws = surcharge loading)

Step 6: Determine the safe design strength of geogrid

reinforcement (Tdesign)

Tdesign = Tult/ (overall factor of safety × reduction factor)

Step 7: Select the minimum vertical spacing (v). The spacing

constant (Q) can be written as,
Q = Safe design strength of geogrid (Tdesign)/ k γ v
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
 Reinforced slope zonation to decide the spacing and
number of reinforcements
Spacing Depth from crest Thickness No. of
in zone to bottom of zone of zone reinforcements
V Q 0.50Q 0.50Q/V
2V Q/2 = 0.50Q 0.17Q 0.17Q/2V
3V Q/3 = 0.33Q 0.08Q 0.08Q/3V
4V Q/4 = 0.25Q 0.05Q 0.05Q/4V
5V Q/5 = 0.20Q 0.03Q 0.03Q/5V
6V Q/6 = 0.17Q 0.17Q 0.17Q/6V
 Choose the nearest integer for number of layers. Add the
remaining thickness to the next zone. Repeat until it reaches
to the top of the slope.
 Finally, add the number of layers in each zone to achieve
the total number of layers.
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
Step 8: The total horizontal force (P) can be determined
from the following equation,

P = ½ k γ H2

Minimum number of reinforcements required (N)

= P/ Safe design strength of reinforcement (Tdesign)

Step 9: Check if the condition is satisfied,

No. of minimum reinforcements obtained in Step 8

< No. of reinforcements obtained in Step 7

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

Alternative Design Approach:
Step 1: Design tensile strength
Allowable tensile strength of Geotextile,

Tult Tallow
Tall  Tdesign 
RF FS

Step 2: Determination of spacing and number of

reinforcements
Required spacing (Sv) at the base of the slope,
Tdesign The spacing can be maintained for the
Sv 
K req x  x H entire height of the slope.

H
Number of layers required, N
Sv
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
Step 3: Determination of reinforcement length

 Determine the reinforcement length from Jewell’s chart.

 Select the reinforcement length arrangement as follows.

 When (LR/H)ovrl > (LR/H)ds, choose reinforcements of a

constant length, LR/H = (LR/H)ovrl
 When (LR/H)ovrl < (LR/H)ds, choose the reinforcements as,
a) Constant length (LR/H) = (LR/H)ds, or
b) Length varying uniformly from (LR/H)base = (LR/H)ds to
(LR/H)crest = (LR/H )ovrl
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
Example: Design an embankment slope considering the
given data.

Height of embankment (H) = 7 m, Angle of slope (β) = 65º,

Unit weight of embankment soil (γ) = 20 kN/m3
Angle of internal friction of soil () = 35o
Pore pressure ratio (ru) = 0.0, Factor of safety (F.S.) =1.3
Tensile strength of geogrid (T) = 30 kN/m
Spacing (V) = 0.20 m, Reduction factor = 1.367
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
Step 1: Determination of minimum required force (Kreq)
Effective angle of internal friction ('),
 tan   -1  tan 25 
'  tan -1    tan    20
 F.S   1.3 

From Jewell’s design chart

For β = 65o, ' = 20
and ru = 0; Kreq = 0.3

ru = 0
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
 Step 2: Determination of minimum required length of
geogrid (LR)

Overall stability (LR /H)ovrl criteria:

for β = 65o, ’ = 20° and ru = 0;

(LR /H )overl = 0.82
ru = 0.00
Direct sliding (LR /H)ds criteria:

for β = 65o, ' = 20° and ru = 0.0,

(LR/H )ds = 0.90

(LR/H)ds > (LR/H)ovrl; (LR/H) = 0.90

Therefore LR= 0.90 x 7 = 6.3 m
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
Step 3: Determination of safe design strength of
geogrid (Tdesign)

Tdesign = Tult/(F.S. x R.F.) = 30/(1.3 x 1.367) = 16.88 kN/m

Step 4: Determination of spacing constant (Q)

Tdesign
Q
K req .  .V

V = assumed minimum spacing = 0.20 m

Kreq = constant = 0.3

Therefore, Q = 16.88/ (0.30 x 20 x 0.20) = 14.07 m

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
 Step 5: Determination of spacing and number of layers
Division of the entire height of embankment into zones
Spacing of geogrid Depth from the crest to
Thickness of zone (m)
in zone (m) the bottom of zone (m)
V = 0.20 Q = 14.07 -
2V = 0.40 Q/2 = 7.035 7 - 4.69 = 2.31
3V = 0.6 Q/3 = 4.69 4.69-3.517 = 1.17
4V = 0.8 Q/4 = 3.517 3.517
Σ zone thickness = 7 m

Division of the entire height

of embankment into zones

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

 Spacing and number of layers
Spacing Thickness Number
Calculated number Remainder
in zone of zone of layers
of geogrids (m)
(m) (m) (N)
Base 1 1
0.775 x 0.4
0.40 2.31 (2.31/0.40) = 5.775 5
= 0.31
(1.17 + 0.31)/0.6 0.47 x 0.6
0.6 1.17 2
= 2.47 = 0.282
(3.517 + 0.282)/0.80 0.75 x 0.8
0.8 3.517 4
= 4.75 = 0.6
Σ N = 12
layers
Provided zone thickness from bottom:
= (0.4 x 5) + (0.6 x 2) + (0.8 x 4) + 0.6
= 2 m + 1.2 m + 3.2 m + 0.6 m = 7 m
Total number of reinforcement layers provided = 12
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
Step 6: Check for number of layers

The total required cumulative tensile strength for safety,

P = (1/2) x Kreq x γ x H2

K = 0.30, H = 7 m, γ = 20 kN /m3

Hence, P = 0.5 x 0.30 x 20 x 72 = 147 kN /m

Therefore, required minimum number of layers

= P/ Tdesign
= 147/16.88 = 8.71 (say 9 nos.) < 12 (hence safe)

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

Detailed layout of reinforcements in the slope
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
 Software for steep soil slopes
(Kuchibhatla and Mandal, 2008)

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

 Please let us hear from you

Any question?

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

 Prof. J. N. Mandal
Department of civil engineering, IIT Bombay,
Powai , Mumbai 400076, India.
Tel.022-25767328
email: cejnm@civil.iitb.ac.in

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay