Description:
Current design methods propose that reinforcement loads distribution within reinforced soil slope is affected by slope height instead of slope inclination, which is not supported by the results of field and laboratorial tests. This paper addresses the influence of slope height and inclination on the distribution of reinforcement loads within reinforced soil slopes. Based on centrifuge model test results, finite element numerical models of reinforced soil slopes with different slope heights and inclinations were established. Maximum reinforcement load in each layer was calculated when the factor of safety of each model was 1.3. The influence of slope height and inclination on the distribution of reinforcement loads was analyzed by normalizing reinforcement loads and slope heights. The results show that the computed location and shape of failure surface and factor of safety at slope failure are in agreement with the experimental results. The distribution of reinforcement loads is little influenced by slope height, whereas greatly influenced by slope inclination. With the increase of slope inclination, the location of maximum reinforcement load transfers from the mid height to the bottom of slopes.
Description:
This paper describes an ALTC (Australian Learning and Teaching Council) funded project, which addresses the development of students‟ report writing skills in science and engineering across the undergraduate years. The WRiSE project grew out of concerns about student performance in written assessments, as well as the need to improve graduate writing emphasised by employers and government. The project approach involved a collaborative team across two institutions. The team comprised language and learning specialists and discipline staff who developed learning materials and technical and eLearning specialists who converted these into online materials. Development followed a feedback spiral, which also involved student users. WRiSE is an integrated, freely available, student centred, online learning environment for report writing in nine discipline areas within science and engineering. In each discipline area, interactive learning materials have been developed to address both the product and process of report writing, as well as the concepts and content behind the reports students have to write. WRiSE is designed to meet the needs of students from diverse backgrounds who have had varying writing experiences as it can be accessed according to student needs. Evaluation of WRiSE has been positive in the areas of user friendliness and improved understanding and confidence in report writing. Those students who used WRiSE have attained significantly higher grades in their reports than students who did not use WRiSE.