Zoning of reinforcement forces in geosynthetic reinforced cohesionless soil slopes

The zone method is widely used in the design of reinforced soil slopes, where the total reinforcement force required for slope stabilization is calculated using a design factor of safety. The reinforcement layers in different zones of the slope make different contributions to the total required reinforcing force. To determine the tension distribution in the reinforcement layers and the size of the zones, the finite element method is used in this paper to study such factors as slope angle, slope height, soil properties, and others that may affect the tension distribution in the reinforcement layers. It was found that, for reinforced cohesionless soil slopes, the nominal factor of safety of the unreinforced slope, that is, the ratio of the tangent values of soil friction angle to the slope angle, is the main factor affecting the peak tension distribution in the reinforcement layers. An updated zone method for reinforced cohesionless soil slopes is proposed based on the results from numerical modelling in the current study and historical data.