Coupled behavior of slope reinforcement and structural foundation in substation engineering

Substation stability on sloped terrain necessitates robust geotechnical reinforcement to mitigate displacement and stress under static and dynamic loads. This study investigates the interaction between reinforced slopes (geogrids, soil nails) and substation foundations through Finite Element Method (FEM) simulations using a commercial finite element analysis software, analyzing clayey (cohesion = 25 kPa, ϕ = 30°) and sandy soils (cohesion = 10 kPa, ϕ = 35°). Results demonstrate that reinforcement reduces foundation displacement by 30% (static) and 25% (dynamic), with geogrids redistributing vertical stresses by 50–66% at critical zones, averting localized failure. Reinforced slopes exhibit safety factor improvements of 25% (static) and 18% (dynamic) compared to unreinforced cases. Geogrids outperform soil nails in stress diffusion and displacement control, aligning with prior studies. These findings underscore the efficacy of geogrid reinforcement in enhancing substation stability, particularly in seismically active regions. This study provides actionable guidelines for optimizing substation design on challenging terrains, advocating further experimental validation of numerical models.