Influence of the variability of compacted soils on slope stability of embankments

When used in embankments, natural soils are compacted to improve their mechanical properties. These soils exhibit a high degree of variability either due to natural causes, either to the building process. This variability influences the slope stability, since the undrained cohesion can be considered as a random variable. The field variability is assessed through in-situ measurements, then it is modelled and numerical simulations are performed. They lead to define a characteristic value for the mechanical parameters, this value being linked to an assumed level of risk. The weight of variability is finally compared to other sources of errors in the stability assessment.