equations; the problem of computing a factor of safety is statically indeterminate.

Therefore, assumptions must be made to achieve a balance of equations and unknowns.

Different procedures make different assumptions to satisfy static equilibrium. Two
procedures may even satisfy the same equilibrium conditions but make different
assumptions and therefore produce different values for the factor of safety.
The shear strength, which can be obtained in two ways: A total stress approach and
an effective stress approach the type of strength used in analysis depends on the soil
type, loading conditions and the time elapsed.

2.2.1. Single free-body procedures

2.2.1.1. Swedish circle = 0 method

The simplest circular analysis used to analyze the short-term stability for both
homogeneous and inhomogeneous slopes based on the assumptions that a rigid,
cylindrical block will fail by rotation about its center and the friction angle is zero so
the shear strength is assumed to be due to cohesion only. The factor of safety, defined
as the ratio of the allowable shear strength to mobilized shear strength, can be
calculated by summing moments about the center of the circular surface:

F = Resisting moment / Driving moment

. .
=
.

Figure 2- 1 Swedish circle = 0 method

(Abramson L. , Lee, Sharma, & Boyce, 1996)

Where:
Cu = undrained shear strength
R = radius of circular surface
L = length of circular arc
W = weight the soil mass above the circular slip surface

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 x = horizontal distance between circle center, O, and the center of the gravity of
the soil mass

2.2.1.2. Log-spiral procedure

In the logarithmic spiral procedure a statically determinant solution is achieved by

assuming a specific logarithmic spiral shape for the slip surface. The radius of the spiral
shape varies with the angle of rotation, , about the center of the spiral according to the
expression:

= .

Where:
r = the radial distance from the center point to a point on the spiral
r0 = the initial radius
= angle between r and r 0
d = developed friction angle depends on the friction angle of the soil and the
factor of safety.

Figure 2- 2 Slope and logarithmic spiral slip surface

(Duncan and Wright, 2005)

The stresses along the slip surface consist of the normal stress ( ) and the shear
stress () that can be expressed by the following equations:

tan
= +

= c + tan

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 Where, (c, ) are the shear strength parameters, (c d, d) are the developed shear
strength parameters, and F is the factor of safety.

By assuming the slip surface shown in figure 2.2, the resultant force produced by
the normal stresses and the frictional components of the shear stress ( tan d) pass
through the center of the spiral. Therefore, they produce no net moment about the
center of the spiral and the only forces that produce moment about the spiral center are
the weight force and the developed cohesion that can be used to get the factor of safety.
Since the shear surface is defined by assuming the value of (d), the developed
cohesion, which is calculated, may result in different factors of safety with respect to
the cohesion that was assumed in calculating (d). Thus, several trials should be done to
get a balanced factor of safety that satisfies:

= =

2.2.2. Methods of slices

In the method of slices, the soil mass above the slip surface is divided into a
number of vertical slices and the equilibrium of each of these slices is considered. The
actual number of the slices depends on the slope geometry and soil profile. However,
breaking the mass up into a series of vertical slices does not make the problem statically
determinate. In order to get the factor of safety by using method of slices, it is
necessary to make assumptions to remove the extra unknowns and these assumptions
are the key roles of distinguishing the methods.

2.2.2.1. Ordinary method of slices

This method is also referred to as "Fellenius' Method"; it is the simplest method of

slices. The method assumes that the resultant of the interslice forces acting on any slice
is parallel to its base; therefore the interslice forces are neglected (Fellenius, W, 1936)
only moment equilibrium is satisfied. In this respect, factors of safety calculated by this
method are typically conservative. Factors of safety calculated for flat slopes and/or
slopes with high pore pressures can be on the conservative by as much as 60 percent,
when compared with values from more exact solutions (Whitman, R. V., and Bailey,
W. A, 1967). For this reason this method is not used much nowadays.

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