Reliability-based design of spread footings on clays reinforced with aggregate piers

ABSTRACT

The economical and safe design of footings supported on aggregate-pier-reinforced clay could benefit from the implementation of a reliability-based approach that incorporates the different sources of uncertainty. Monte Carlo simulations are conducted to quantify the probability distribution of the ultimate bearing capacity for practical design scenarios. A reliability analysis is then conducted to propose design charts that yield the required factor of safety as a function of the major input parameters. The novelty in the proposed methodology is the incorporation of a lower bound shear strength that is based on the remoulded undrained shear strength in the reliability analysis.