Manual and Numerical Design of a

Mechanically Stabilized Earth Wall

(30%)

Geotechnical Engineering II
CVL 483
Semester: FALL 2024
 Table of Contents
1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 3
2. Project learning Objectives.............................................................................................................. 3
3. ABET Student Outcome ................................................................................................................... 3
4. Project Narrative ............................................................................................................................. 4
4.1 Description: ..................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
4.2 Technical requirement: ................................................................................................................ 5
4.3 Deliverables: ................................................................................................................................ 6
4.4 Any other relevant subsections....................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
5. Project Management .......................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
5.1 Project planning ........................................................................................................................... 6
5.2 Group formation .......................................................................................................................... 6
6. Project Grading................................................................................................................................ 7
6.1 Grading Distribution..................................................................................................................... 8
6.2 Deliverable Rubrics ...................................................................................................................... 8
Appendix A ............................................................................................................................................ 11
1. Introduction
Retaining walls are geotechnical structures that are typically encountered in several construction
projects (road cuts, open-pit mining, excavations, landfills etc.). Failures of these structures cause
losses in lives and substantial negative economic impacts (Figure 1); therefore, their stability
assessment is critical. These structures are used whenever an elevation difference is encountered.

Figure 1. Wall Failure incident that blocked a major highway and caused casualties.

2. Project learning Objectives

Through this project, the students should be able to:

• Recognize the possible failure modes of a mechanically stabilized earth wall (1, 5, 7)
• Read and interpret geotechnical soil properties and utilize them properly in the design
process (2, 5).
• Design a mechanically stabilized earth wall and provide safety factors using manual and
numerical approaches (2, 5, 7).
• Improve their teamwork and communication skills (5).

3. ABET Student Outcome

SO(1) an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles
of engineering, science, and mathematics.

SO(2) an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with
consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental,
and economic factors.

SO(5) Ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a
collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
 SO(7) Ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

4. Project Narrative
4.1 Description

The project addresses a typical design case that is relevant in Kuwait. With the development of new
highways, retaining walls are key elements to maintain stability. Several retaining structures are
available in the literature; however, mechanically stabilized earth walls provide an environmentally
friendly alternative when compared to traditional retaining structures (cantilever walls). Below you can
find all the information needed to design the proposed retaining wall.

4.1.1 Wall Geometry

The wall of interest lies between two major roadways that are at different elevations. Error! Reference
source not found. shows the geometry of the wall of interest along with road.

Figure 2. Geometry of the road cross-section that shows the location of the proposed wall

4.1.2 Software

The HYRCAN software will be adopted for this project. The software can be downloaded for free using
the following procedure:

1. Navigate to the following link to download the software:

https://www.geoengineer.org/index.php/software/hyrcan-free-slope-stability-analysis-program

2. Press on download as in the figure below:

 3. Choose the portable version:

4.1.3 Dimensions and Soil Properties

The specific dimensions and relevant soil properties are provided below as a function of the group
number (𝐺𝑃#). This number will be provided once the groups are formed.
Parameter Symbol Value Unit
Cohesion of fill layer 𝑐1 0 𝑘𝑃𝑎
Friction angle of fill layer 𝜙1 (𝐺𝑃# × 0.15) + 30 °
Cohesion of foundation layer 𝑐2 𝐺𝑃# × 5 𝑘𝑃𝑎
Friction angle of foundation layer 𝜙2 (𝐺𝑃# × 0.15) + 20 °
Height of wall 𝐻 (𝐺𝑃# × 0.5) + 3 𝑚
Thickness of foundation layer 𝐻𝑓 5 𝑚

4.2 Technical requirement:

The students must:

• Identify possible failure mods of the retaining wall.

• Assess the stability of each of the modes of failure (force equilibrium method).

• Use software packages to model the wall under consideration.

 • Write technical reports demonstrating their work in detail.
• Produce professional drawings for the final design.

• Work in teams to achieve the set goals.

4.3 Deliverables:
- Deliverable 1: Technical Report
In the first deliverable, the students are required to prepare a design report that includes
manual calculations for the design of the mechanically stabilized earth wall using the provided
template. Both internal (Pull out) and external (sliding, overturning, bearing capacity failure)
stability should be checked. Detailed dimensioning of the wall and reinforcement should be
provided.

- Deliverable 2: Technical Report

In the second deliverable, the students are required to prepare a design report that includes
the numerical analysis of the wall studied in the first deliverable. The numerical model should
check the overall stability of the wall. Check tutorial provided by the software provided above.

- Deliverable 3: Question and Answer

Each group should prepare for a Q&A session to assess the individual understanding of the
project. Each member in the group should be responsible for every detail in the project.

4.1 Project planning

Project Deliverable Deliverable Type Due Date
week 11 – Sunday 1st Dec 2024
PD1 Technical Report
at 11:59 P.M.
week 16 – Sunday 5th Jan 2024
PD2 Technical Report
at 11:59 P.M.
week 16 – lecture time 2nd day
PD3 Question and Answer
for each section

4.2 Group formation

- Students in each class need to form project groups (2 or 3 members per group).
- It is the students' responsibility to form a group and submit the group members to the
instructor.
- If a student is unable to find a group, they are required to report to the instructor for assistance.
- Once groups are formed, each group must submit the following table to the instructor:

Team Members Responsibility of each team member

1-

2-
 3-

Notes:
✓ Students have the full responsibility of:
o submitting the required documents within the deadline
o verifying that the correct files are submitted
o verifying that the submitted files are not corrupted
✓ Softcopies are required to be uploaded into Turnitin when applicable.
✓ The regulations mentioned in the course syllabus apply. Please ensure you are fully aware of all
sections in the syllabus, especially (but not limited to) the following: APA style, plagiarism, AI
usage, group work, group submission, and forming groups.
 4.1 Grading Distribution
Weight

PD 1 10%
Project PD 2 15%
PD 3 5%
Total 30%

4.2 Deliverable Rubrics

The project is worth 30% of the total grade of your course. The grade will be based on every
group’s work, simulation, prototype, analysis, etc. The student will be evaluated based on the
rubric below.

Technical Design:

Grading Rubric - Technical Design

Unsatisfactory Developing Satisfactory Excellent

Criteria
(0-59%) (60%-74%) (75%-87%) (>88%)
Problem •The problem •The problem definition •The problem definition •The problem definition
Definition definition statement statement is partially statement is clear and statement is exceptionally well-
Statement is unclear and clear and may not effectively defines the written, providing a clear and
(5% - only If doesn't effectively effectively define the problem being addressed. concise definition of the problem
required) define the problem problem being being addressed, its significance,
being addressed. addressed. and its potential impact.
Identify •Design •Partial design •The major design •All design requirements are
engineering requirements are requirements are requirements are identified. clearly identified and explained.
design not identified. identified. •Design strategy/procedure •A detailed design
requirements •No design •Design is defined strategy/procedure is defined and
(5% - only If strategy/procedure strategy/procedure is clear design's steps are proposed.
required) is defined not clearly defined
Identify design •Minimal or no •Only partial •Major constraints are •All constraints are fully taken into
constraints consideration of consideration of the considered but not fully consideration and efficiently
(5% - only If design's constraints. design's constraints. integrated into design. integrated and applied into the
required) design.

•No standards or •Standards or codes are •Relevant standards or •All relevant standards and codes
Standards and codes are mentioned but not fully codes are clearly referenced are thoroughly researched and
Codes referenced or used utilized or explained, and applied correctly, with properly referenced, with clear
(5% - only If in the report and there may be errors appropriate explanations for explanations for their use and
required) in their use their use impact on the project.

Propose •The student did •The student provided •The student provided more •The student provided more than
multiple Design not provide more more than one solution than one solution that are one solution that are well-
solutions than one solution that is partially documented and partially documented and justified.
(20%) for the project. documented and not justified
well justified.
 Select a •Unable to perform •Partially analyze the •Analyze the different •Successfully analyze and evaluate
solution analysis nor to different solutions, but solutions and provide a clear all solutions. Select the optimum
considering select a solution. not able to provide a methodology on how to one using appropriate
risks, solid method on how to select a solution. methodology. Use the insights and
constraints and select a solution. the gained knowledge to re-assess
making the design.
appropriate
trade-offs
(15%)
Analyze the •Unable to •Moderately able to •Able to show good •Able to show thorough
impact of understand the understand the wider understanding of the understanding of immediate and
engineering wider impacts of impacts of engineering widespread effects of long-term effects of engineering
solutions in engineering design design solutions. engineering design solutions, design solutions.
global, solutions. •Partially able to assess but with somewhat limited •Able to consider and understand
economic, •Unable to assess the impact of simple perspective about long term the impact of engineering design
environmental, the impact of engineering design factors. solutions on users and non-users
and societal engineering design solutions on users and •Able to consider and locally and globally.
contexts solutions on non-users. understand the impact of •Able to thoroughly analyze the
(10% - only If immediate users. •Moderately able to engineering design solutions economic, environmental, and
required) •Unable to assess assess the economic, on some, but not all, users social impacts of engineering
the economic, environmental, and and non-users. design solutions.
environmental, and social impacts of •Able to show good
social impacts of engineering design understanding of the general
engineering design solutions. economic, environmental,
solutions. and social impacts of
engineering design solutions.
Make informed •The student does •The student •The student evaluates the • The student provides a
judgments with not evaluate the demonstrates limited relevancy of their solution comprehensive and insightful
consideration relevancy of their evaluation of the towards sustainability and evaluation of the relevancy of their
of the impact solution towards relevancy of their ethics. solution towards sustainability and
of engineering sustainability and solution towards •Student provides well- ethics.
solutions in ethics. sustainability and ethics defined and appropriate •Student provides innovative and
global, •Student provides •Student provides examples of how their creative examples of how their
economic, minimal or no limited or unclear project addresses project addresses sustainability
environmental, examples of how examples of how their sustainability and targeted and targeted SDGs.
societal their project project addresses SDGs.
contexts and addresses sustainability and
other relevant sustainability and targeted SDGs.
SDGs targeted SDGs.
(10% - only If
required)
•The student •The student displays •The student effectively •The student displays the results
struggles to display the results using visual displays the results using using clear and well-constructed
the results using representations, but appropriate visual visual representations (tables,
appropriate visual with some errors or representations (tables, graphs, sketches) without any
representations inconsistencies. graphs, sketches) with minor errors.
(tables, graphs, •There may be errors, if any. •There is a deep understanding
Analyze and
sketches). challenges in effectively •There is a clear and insightful interpretation of the
interpret
•There is difficulty in interpreting the understanding and displayed results
collected data
interpreting the displayed results interpretation of the •The student demonstrates the
(10%)
displayed results •Partial ability to relate displayed results ability to relate the results to
•Limited or no some of the results to •The student demonstrates theoretical concepts
analysis of the theoretical concepts. the ability to relate some of *There is evidence of critical
results in relation to the results to theoretical thinking
theoretical concepts.
concepts.
Use •Unable to draw •Demonstrate some •Ability to draw conclusions •Ability to draw conclusions about
engineering conclusions about difficulties to draw about the results and the results, errors, and to come up
judgment to the results and conclusions about the comments on some errors. with creative suggestions about
draw comments on some results and comments improving the solution procedure.
conclusions errors. on some errors.
about the
results
(10%)
 •Weak English with •Good English with •Very good English with few •Excellent English with no
many grammatical some grammatical and grammatical and language grammatical and language
and language language mistakes. mistakes. mistakes.
mistakes. •Illustrations are of •Illustrations are of •Illustrations are of great quality
Formatting •No illustrations, bad quality, resolution, acceptable quality and and resolution, sized correctly,
and language equations, or size and dimension. resolution. and in the right place.
(5%) tables are utilized •No captioning or •Mistakes in captioning or •No mistakes in captioning or
in the document. labeling for labeling the illustrations. labeling the illustrations.
illustrations. Equations are correctly Equations are correctly
Equations are badly formatted with minor formatted.
formatted. mistakes.
Appendix A

A.1. Civil Engineering Program Student Outcomes – ABET:

1. an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of
engineering, science, and mathematics
2. an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with
consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental,
and economic factors
3. an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
4. an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make
informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic,
environmental, and societal contexts
5. an ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a
collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
6. an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and
use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
7. an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

A.2 Course contribution to the global goals

AUM is committed to encouraging sustainable practices and supporting the 17 Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs), also known as global goals. For more information about the global goals,
please refer to Sustainability at AUM.

This course project particularly focuses on the following SDG(s):

This course particularly focuses on the following SDG(s):

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production