Seismic bearing capacity of strip footings placed on reinforced soil slopes using slip line method

Abstract

This study investigates the seismic vertical bearing capacity of strip footings positioned on reinforced soil structures employing a two-phase approach and the slip line method. The investigation aims to establish a slip line field and determine the critical slip surface without any assumptions of predefined surfaces. The obtained results are compared with previous studies, demonstrating a good agreement and validating the accuracy of the proposed approach. The variation of the bearing capacity factor with the horizontal seismic coefficient, soil internal friction angle, setback distance normalized by footing width, and slope incline angle. An increase in the horizontal seismic coefficient leads to a decrease in bearing capacity factor, while an increase in the soil internal friction angle has the opposite effect. The influence of the setback distance on the bearing capacity is also examined, highlighting significant improvements with increased setback distances. Additionally, the study investigates the impact of the tensile strength ratio and setback distance on the ultimate bearing capacity factor and the bearing capacity ratio. The distribution of reinforcement forces beneath the footing is analyzed and presented through contour plots, providing valuable insights into the seismic behavior of footings on reinforced soil slopes.