Effect of shear pin arrangement in undercut slope model using pencil leads

Abstract

In order to increase the maximum width to which the slope can be undercut, slope stabilization shear pins is required. In this study, two layout patterns of pencil leads, 2 mm in diameter, were placed into physical models of undercut slope made of a confined block of humid silica sand No.6 resting a Teflon plate. The soil pressure and slope movement during which the slope was undercut from the center line until reaching the failure were monitored by a set of pressure gauges, digital camera and high-speed VDO camera. The experimental results revealed that for a given similar number of pencil leads, the layout in vertical row has a higher influence on the stability than that in horizontal row.