Multiobjective optimization-based design of stabilizing piles in earth slopes

Though the technology of using stabilizing piles to prevent landsliding is not new, the design of such piles with a meaningful optimization framework has been rarely reported. In this paper, a multiobjective optimization-based framework for design of stabilizing piles is presented, in which both reinforcement effectiveness and cost efficiency could be explicitly considered. The design parameters considered in the proposed design framework are the pile parameters, including pile diameter, spacing, length, and position, and the design objectives considered are the reinforcement effectiveness and cost efficiency. The design of stabilizing piles is then implemented as a multiobjective optimization problem. In that the desire to maximize the reinforcement effectiveness and that to maximize the cost efficiency are two conflicting objectives, the output of this multiobjective optimization will be a Pareto front that depicts a trade-off between these two design objectives. With the obtained Pareto front, an informed decision regarding the design of stabilizing piles is reached. The effectiveness and significance of the proposed multiobjective optimization-based design framework for stabilizing piles are demonstrated through two illustrative examples: one is the design of stabilizing piles in a one-layer earth slope and the other the design of stabilizing piles in a two-layer earth slope. Further, parametric analyses are conducted to investigate the influences of the pile design parameters on the stability of reinforced slopes.