Discussions on “Technical code for building slope engineering (GB 50330-2013)”

Some discussions on “Technical code for building slope engineering(GB 50330-2013)” are presented and some deficient, unsuitable and incorrect parts of the code are indicated. In checking the tensile strength of reinforcing bar (anchor wire) and the cohesive strength between reinforcing bar (anchor wire) and mortar in anchor engineering, the partial factor method but not the safety factor method is applicable and reasonable. In the safety factor method, using the characteristic value of the limit resistance but not the design value is correct. Some semi-empirical equations for the active earth pressure on the retaining wall are based on Rankine’s earth pressure theory for infinite soil slope in which the active earth pressure must be parallel to slope surface not perpendicular to wall surface. In the stability analysis of saturated clay slope, the combined calculation of water and soil pressure by means of the saturation unit weight and the CU shear strength parameters is wrong and harmful in engineering practice.