ABSTRACT
The three-dimensional geometry of geocell provides lateral and vertical confinement that is extensively used for stabilizing cover soil on steep slopes. On the steep slopes of the North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton (Canada), around a light rail traffic tunnel portal that was previously stabilized with soil anchors, a 200mm thick facial fill was required for a green cover. The slope varied from 250 to 730 stretching from 40m to 60m along the slope. An attempt was made utilizing a novel polymeric alloy (NPA) geocell to retain the facia fill. A conventional design approach with tendons was not possible due to the lack of anchoring opportunities at the crest. Presence of utility lines limited locations for anchoring on the slope. A novel design technique of load transfer utilizing wire net covers on top of the geocell was developed. This paper discusses the challenges through the design and the remediations.
