Technical Session 2-B: Slopes and Embankments

摘要

Sixty one papers presented to the Session are discussed in the Report. They have been classified in the following general topics: Analysis, design and stabilization procedures, rainfall and drainage, seismic analysis, embankment materials and foundation soils, and other topics. The Report highlights a few relevant aspects: the generalization of finite element methods in analysis, design and evaluation of performance, the popularity of (c, Φ) reduction methods to estimate Safety Factors and the increasing use of three-dimensional models. Despite these trends analytical and semi-analytical methods are still developed and useful in practice in a wide variety of topics. It is stressed that the determination of material parameters remains as the fundamental issue in most of the work reviewed. Specialized topics with their own methodology are also required in practice. Current advances in unsaturated soil mechanics provide also a new insight into classical problems such as slope stability and rainfall or the design and construction of dams and embankments.