Stability Of Embankment Slopes: Study Of The Contribution Of Reinforcement Geotextiles To Reducing Deformation

Abstract Analysis of the deformations that emerge within embankments is of vital importance in ensuring the durability of structures and anticipating any potential risks. The aim of this study is to assess the deformations and stability of an embankment slope using PLAXIS version 8.2 finite element simulation software. A slope model was built, taking into account the appropriate geotechnical parameters, in order to calculate deformations, displacements and safety coefficients, firstly for an unreinforced case and then for a model enhanced by geotextile layers. For the unreinforced slope, the total extreme displacement is 0.63 m, the shear deformation is 42.04% and the safety coefficient is 1.007. As for the reinforced slope, the total extreme displacement is 0.2 m, the shear deformation is 5.61% and the safety coefficient is 1.619. The results showed a significant reduction in total displacements in the case of the reinforced slope compared with the unreinforced slope. In addition, the safety coefficient increased considerably for the reinforced slope. Volumetric vertical deformations were reduced by more than 25%, while shear deformations were reduced by more than seven times. The results obtained particularly highlighted the significant advantages of geotextile reinforcement in terms of reducing deformations and displacements, and confirmed the improvement in the safety coefficient of the slopes.