2020 Volume 76 Issue 1 Pages 99-109
The purpose of this paper is to develop a new earth reinforcement technology called “The SDPR method” having both functions of a single earth reinforcement to increase the embankment strength and a drainage pipe to lower a ground water level in embankment at the same time. This paper summarizes the effectiveness of the SDPR method by means of unsaturated-saturated seepage analysis and slope stability analysis in terms of the drainage effect, reinforcement effect and unsaturation effect of SDPRs. The main conclusions are as follows: 1) SDPR is effective for improving the stability of embankment and particular recovering the safety factor just after rainfall. 2) From saturated-unsaturated seepage analysis, it is confirmed that the soil layer near SDPR becomes unsaturated condition and SDPR is also effective for lowering the groundwater level of the slope of embankment especially for the shallow area above the position of SDPRs. 3) Under current numerical conditions, it is proposed that the appropriate length of SDPR is 6m to 9m while the appropriate interval is 3m to 5m depending on the magnitude of rainfall and earthquake.
