Parametric Evaluation of Soil Nail Configurations for Sustainable Excavation Stability Using Finite Element Analysis

The advancement of sustainable infrastructure relies on innovative design and computational modeling techniques to optimize excavation stability. This study introduces a novel approach to soil nail configuration optimization using finite element analysis (FEA) with Plaxis software (V22). Various soil nail parameters—including length, angle, and spacing—were analyzed to achieve the most efficient stabilization while minimizing costs. Results indicate that a 10-degree nail inclination from the horizontal provides an optimal balance between tensile and shear forces, reducing deformation (18.12 mm at 1 m spacing) and enhancing the safety factor (1.52). Increasing nail length significantly improves stability, but with diminishing returns beyond a threshold, while nail diameter shows minimal impact. Soil type also plays a crucial role, with coarse-grained soils (friction angle 35°) demonstrating superior performance compared to fine-grained soils (friction angle 23°). This research contributes to the field of computational modeling and intelligent design by integrating advanced simulation techniques for geotechnical stability analysis, providing an innovative and data-driven framework for parametric evaluation of soil nail configurations.