Behavior of Nailed Steep Slopes in Laboratory Shake Table Tests

This paper presents results of laboratory shake table tests performed to study the dynamic behavior of nailed steep slopes. The surface displacements, settlement of the crest and the acceleration responses along with the behavior of the facing wall are examined during the tests. Two 18 cm high 60° and 70° steep soil slopes reinforced with nine hollow aluminum nails placed in three rows are considered. Three strain gauges are glued to each nail to measure the tensile force developed in the nails. Four strain gauges are fixed at the center of the facing wall to measure the development of strains during shaking. The acceleration responses at the base and crest of the model slopes are monitored during the tests. The results clearly demonstrate advantage of a nailed slope over unreinforced slope. The failure surfaces observed in the shaking table tests are shallow and of rotational type. The nails oriented in horizontal direction are found to be more efficient. The nail forces and amplification of motion increase with the increase in slope angle and slope height. The amplitude of acceleration toward the outward slope direction is found to be larger than that toward the inward direction in all laboratory shaking tables tests.