MICROPILES FOR REINFORCING STEEP SLOPES

Abstract

A Micropile is a small diameter (< 300mm), which is drilled and grouted non displacement pile that is typically reinforced. Micropiles can be used as elements for foundation support which resist seismic and static loading conditions, and as in-situ reinforcements to provide stability to slopes and excavated sites. During our routine excavation activities, the slope of the excavation leads to extra land requirement and less economic construction practices. A solution to this problem is the use of micropiles to increase the slope of the embankment and aim for vertical excavations and provide economical methods of construction. This paper presents one protoype in which exacavation is done along side a road. Based on that protoype, numerical analysis, analytical analysis and physical model analysis were conducted for the embankment. In all the analyses of the embankment, it was subjected to maximum vehicular load as per IRC-6. The numerical analysis was done using software SLIDE. The analytical analysis, which includes design of micropiles, was conducted using the FHWA manual on design and construction of micropiles. And the physical modelling was done using a scale factor of 1/50 and loading was applied to the physical models and the deformation behavior of the model embankment was studied. Finally, comparison was made among the numerical, analytical and physical models and results were compiled.