Stability assessment of geosynthetic-reinforced slopes under floods and traffic loads

To investigate the failure mechanisms of geosynthetic-reinforced slopes under flood and traffic loading, numerical simulations were conducted to analyze stability across various conditions. Regarding settlement magnitude, the effects of different loading conditions rank as follows: traffic load only > combined loading > water-level fluctuation only. Conversely, water-level fluctuations impact settlement rates significantly more than traffic loads. Reinforcement length and depth positively correlate with settlement control, though extreme external loading diminishes this efficacy. In terms of stress response, traffic loads affect the internal stress field slightly more than water fluctuations. Geocells notably mitigate slope stress under severe external loads, with deeper placement further lowering internal stresses. Furthermore, slope safety factors rank from lowest to highest as follows: traffic load only, combined loading, and water-level fluctuation only. Unreinforced slopes are highly sensitive to load changes, demonstrating that reinforcement effectively enhances slope stability under complex conditions.