Experimental investigations of shear pin arrangement on soil slope resting on low interface friction plane

Abstract

Slope failure along the bedding plane is a critical issue that existed in the past and will still continue to exist in the future. This problem causes socio-economic losses. This paper presents laboratory investigations of the effects of the shear pin arrangement on the stability of soil slope resting on a low interface friction plane. The effects of the slope width and thickness, the number of shear pins, the location of the shear pins and the mode of the shear pin arrangement were studied in the laboratory. Physical models were made of silica sand no. 6 that had a water content of 10% and rested on Teflon film simulating a low interface strength. Screw bolts with a diameter of 4 mm were used as the shear pins and were fastened perpendicularly to the interface plane. The results of this research show that shear pins can increase the failure slope angle in a slip test. The failure slope angle is mainly influenced by the number of shear pins and the thickness and width of the soil block, while the location of the shear pins is found to have little effect on the failure slope angle. The failure mechanisms are associated with the number of shear pins, their location, their mode of arrangement, and the thickness and width of the soil block.