Soil nailing stabilization of a failed hillside in Belo Horizonte (MG): modelling, design and execution

The metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte city is home to several high-risk areas with a significant number of mass movement occurrences. Additionally, there are cases of movements in areas that are not considered high-risk, where constructions exhibit a medium to high construction standard. This emphasizes that, in addition to disordered occupations, the terrains have a natural susceptibility to the process. Intervention in slopes through cuts and fills is an unquestionable necessity in geotechnical projects to reinforce unstable or damaged areas. This article explores the field of soil nailing and presents the necessary design practices for its utilization, including safety checks based on deterministic, probabilistic, and finite element analysis. The case study is based in Belo Horizonte, more specifically in the ‘Buritis’ neighborhood, Brazil. The reinforced slope has a height of 18.5 meters and covers a total area of 1425 square meters. Based on different methodologies, the solution was validated as the most technically feasible, executable, and financially viable.