2005 Volume 46 Issue 2 Pages 137-142
This study is the first reported application of several reliability analyses to investigate the structural reliability of typical reinforced soil structures with variable heights in sliding and overturning modes, using classical or advanced reliability approaches. In this study, the sensitivities of backfill soil properties (unit weight and friction angle) and tensile strength of reinforcement to the reliability index were investigated by changing the averages and coefficients of variation. An allowable reliability index in accordance with the conventional safety factor was proposed with the corresponding tensile strength of reinforcement. The recommended load and resistance factors were calibrated based on the above allowable reliability index by the advanced first-order and second-moment (AFOSM) method with Monte Carlo stratified sampling simulation results. The recommended load and resistance design factors based on the reliability analysis showed a reasonably constant value independent of soil property and wall height but dependent on failure mode.