Slope Stability

Causes of instability
All slopes (natural or manmade) have a tendency to move. The main force causing movement is gravity.

Causes of instability: inherent, such as weaknesses in the rock or soil forming the slope; variable, such as heavy rain and changes in groundwater level; transient, such as earthquake or volcanic activity; human activities, such as excavations, removal of vegetations, etc.

Types of slope failure

Source: BS6031:1981

Types of slope failure

Principles of stability
Disturbing force is generated by self weight of the soil, surface loadings, and seismic loads.

Tendency to slide is opposed by the shearing resistance of the soil.

Sliding can be caused by either an increase in the disturbing force or a decrease in shearing resistance of the soil. Limit equilibrium method is normally used.

Principles of stability
Limit equilibrium method Failure is on the point of occurring along an assumed or known failure surface. The static force and moment equilibrium of the assumed failed mass is analysed. A factor of safety is obtained from the ratio of shear strength of the soil to the mobilised shear stress when the slope is on the point of failing. A search for the critical failure surface is carried out so as to obtain the minimum factor of safety for the slope. For a slope which has failed, F = 1.

Principles of stability
Stability analyses may be carried in 2 ways: Total stress analysis using undrained shear strength parameters for short term cases Effective stress analysis using drained shear strength parameters for long term cases

Infinite slope analysis

The failure plane is parallel to the surface of the slope

En z En+1

N = N' + U

Infinite slope: effective stress analysis

En+1 and En are equal, opposite and co-linear. Resolve // failure surface: Wsinb = S = tmob x l l = b/cosb

tmob = t/F t = c' + s' tan f' s' = N'/l W = g x z x b = g x z x l cosb

F = c' + (N'/l) tan f' gz sinb cosb

Infinite slope: effective stress analysis

Resolve perp to failure surface: N = N' + U = Wcosb N' = l (gz cos2b u) F = c' + (gz cos2b u) tan f' gz sinb cosb which is the general equation of infinite slope in terms of effective stress

Infinite slope: effective stress analysis

Special cases If c' = 0, F = (1 u/ gz cos2b ) tan f' tan b If c' = 0 and u = 0, F = tan f' tan b

Infinite slope: effective stress analysis

Special cases Steady seepage parallel to ground level with groundwater table vertical height, hw, above failure surface, u = gwhw cos2b

hw hw cos2 b hw cos b b

Infinite slope: effective stress analysis

If c' = 0 and steady seepage parallel to ground level with groundwater table vertical height, hw, above failure surface

F = (1 m. gw / g) tan f', where m = hw/z tan b

If m = 1, F = (g' / g) tan f' tan b If m = 1 and F = 1, tan b = (g' / g) tan f', which is approximately = tan f' 2

Infinite slope: total stress analysis

Saturated soils: fu = 0 F = S = W sinb cu l gxzxb = cu gz sinb cosb

Stability analysis with circular failure surface

d q

Stability analysis with circular failure surface

Undrained analysis (fu = 0)
Disturbing moment = W x d Resisting moment = tmob x r q x r tmob = cu / F, where F is the factor of safety F = cu r2 q Wd

The critical failure surface is found by searching for the position of centre of rotation, O, and radius, r, with the lowest F

Stability analysis with circular failure surface

Undrained/Total stress analysis (fu = 0)
Tension cracks tend in cohesive soils and can be filled with water.

For analysis, refer to Whitlow pages 363 & 364.

Stability analysis with circular failure surface

Drained/Effective stress analysis (c' f' soil)
Method of slices The assumed failed mass is divided into a number of slices, their force systems are analysed and are then summed up to produce an average factor of safety. The minimum factor of safety is found by analysing many trial circles.

Stability analysis with circular failure surface

Method of slices

Stability analysis with circular failure surface

Method of slices

Stability analysis with circular failure surface

Fellenius / Swedish method
It is assumed that (En En+1) = 0 (Xn Xn+1) = 0
S [c'l + (Wcos a ul)tan f] S Wsina

F=

l = bseca F=
S [c'b + (Wcos2a ub)tan f']seca S Wsina

The Fellenius method underestimates F by 5 to 20%.

Stability analysis with circular failure surface

Bishops simplified method
It is assumed that (Xn Xn+1) = 0, but (En En+1) 0
1 S Wsina

F=

[c'b + (W ub)tan f']seca 1 + tan a tan f' / F

As F appears on both sides of the equation, F is found by an iterative

process of successive approximations. First, a trial value of F is input on the right hand side of the equation to obtain a new value of F, which

is substituted back into the right hand side of the equation until F
converges to an acceptable accuracy. The Bishops simplified method underestimates F by less than 3%.

Slope stability analysis

Pore pressure ratio, ru
The porewater pressure at a given point in a slope is also given in terms of ru which is the ratio of the porewater pressure to the weight of the soil per unit area above the point. ru = u/gz Bishops simplified method ub/W = ub/gzb = ru 1 S Wsina 1 S Wsina

F=

S S

[c'b + (W ub)tan f']seca 1 + tan a tan f' / F [c'b + W(1 ru)tan f']seca 1 + tan a tan f' / F

F=