Reliability Approaches to Overcome Load-Resistance Duality in Embedded Wall Design

In this paper, the limit-state design approaches of the AASHTO LRFD BDS and EN 1997-1:2004 codes for the design of an embedded wall are characterized. The rotational, hydraulic, and system failures of the wall are analyzed by two reliability approaches: MCS-based probabilistic and GSS-based full probabilistic design approaches. The potentialities and limitations of the reliability approaches at small- and high-reliability levels (1 ≤ β ≤ 6) are detailed. Three types of uncertainties and uncertainty propagation that affect the reliability approaches are discussed. The reliability levels of the limit-state design approaches are evaluated considering the highest variability of cohesionless soils reported in the literature. The GSS results show that the embedment depth of the wall exhibits a dual behavior (stabilizing-destabilizing) on the system failure at high reliability levels.

Keywords: Embedded wall, load-resistance duality, standards and codes, limit-state design, uncertainty modeling.