ABSTRACT

Slope failures frequently occur due to geomorphological, hydrological, and human activity factors. Retaining walls (DPT) can serve as a mitigation solution by resisting lateral soil pressure and preventing slope collapse. The critical factors influencing stability are slope height and rainfall intensity—increased height reduces stability, while rainfall weakens soil strength. Material selection is essential for optimizing both cost and performance. This study analyzes the influence of material type, slope height, and B/H ratio (0.3–0.7) on stability and cost using finite element and limit equilibrium methods. The retaining walls were constructed using two materials: stone masonry and reinforced concrete, with wall heights (H) ranging from 1.5 to 10 meters. The results indicate that every 0.5-meter increase in wall height reduces the safety factor (SF) by 5.61– 6.53% for stone masonry and 5.47–6.08% for concrete. Stone masonry walls provide a higher SF, averaging 10.39% greater than reinforced concrete, with a more significant improvement in SF relative to the B/H ratio. Cost analysis reveals a linear relationship between SF and construction costs—higher safety factors require greater expenditures. Stone masonry retaining walls demonstrate higher stability and cost efficiency in achieving the minimum required SF compared to concrete walls.