Centrifuge modeling of the failure of geotextile-reinforced slopes

The influence of the geotextiles on the deformation and failure of geotextile-reinforced slopes is a key issue in slope stability. Centrifugal model tests were conducted to investigate the failure of soil slopes reinforced using geotextiles. The deformation fields and their changes due to loading were measured using an image-based displacement measurement system. The failure and deformation of the geotextile-reinforced slope were investigated by comparing observations of reinforced and pure soil slopes. The results show that the geotextiles significantly change the slip surface so that only superficial local failure occurs. The strain localization on the soil slope reduces by the geotextiles, which increases the slope stability.