Model Test Study on the Factors Influencing Anti-Slide Pile Reinforcement in High Backfill Slopes

Abstract

In civil engineering projects, the practice of partial excavation or backfilling of slopes often results in landslide occurrences because of the redistribution of internal stress within the slope mass. This paper presents the findings from scaled-model tests conducted to investigate the reinforcement of high-fill embankment slopes using anti-slide piles. During the filling process, data were meticulously monitored using strain gauges affixed to the pile bodies and embedded earth pressure cells. The analysis focused on the mechanical behavior, including load–displacement relationships at the pile tops, bending moments, and earth pressures. This study was designed to investigate how anti-slide piles contribute to slope stabilization and to evaluate their load-bearing behavior throughout the backfilling process. Additionally, particle image velocimetry technology was used to capture the variation patterns of the soil surface displacement field, thereby revealing soil displacement deformation and the overall failure mechanism. By integrating mechanical responses with the analysis of the soil displacement field, a more profound understanding of the pile–soil interaction mechanism was attained. This experimental method provided a comprehensive depiction of the entire process, from the initial slope movement to its eventual deformation and failure. The research indicates that a reduction in pile spacing leads to a decrease in the maximum bending moment of the pile body, thereby enhancing slope reinforcement. For the same pile spacing, the pile located on the first-level slope platform shows the smallest horizontal displacement at its top after deformation. The soil on either side of the anti-slide pile disperses outward from the pile body, with the maximum displacement occurring directly beneath the pile tip.