ABSTRACT
In order to determine the overall stability and the necessary anchor lengths of anchored retaining walls, the failure in the deep slip surface is often investigated. The appropriate mechanical model for this mode of failure is controversial. In this article, a mechanical failure model is proposed on the basis of the kinematic theory of rigid bodies. According to comparative analyses following the statistic-probabilistical safety concept, the mechanical quality and plausibility of this model is tested. System safety is estimated by the safety or reliability index. Finally, Recommendations are given for the stability assessment of anchored retaining walls subjected to failure of overall system (wall-ground-anchor).
