Geometric Concerns in Slope Stability Analyses
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical Engineering
Volume 109, Issue 11
Abstract
Geometric approximations necessary in the Simplified Bishop Method of Slices for slope stability analysis can lead to inadvertent errors. Depending on the method of computation of the slice area and base inclination angle, significant extraneous error may be introduced. Use of the exact slice area and straight line base angle results in consistently accurate estimates of the overturning and resisting moments and factor of safety. Convergence to an exact solution as a number of slices is increased is also demonstrated. Unconservative estimates of the factor of safety may be obtained using a trapezoidal area approximation together with a straight line slice base inclination angle, particularly for deep circles in cohesive soils using a limited number of slices.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
Azzouz, A. S., and Baligh, M. M., “Design Charts for Three‐Dimensional Stability of Cohesive Slopes Subjected to Surcharge Loads,” Research Report R76‐19, Department of Civil Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass., 1976.
2.
Bailey, W. A., and Christian, J. T., “ICES LEASE‐1: A Problem Oriented Language for Slope Stability Analysis—User's Manual,” Research Report R69‐22, Department of Civil Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass., 1969.
3.
Bishop, A. W., “The Use of the Slip Circle on the Stability Analysis of Earth Slopes,” Geotechnique, Vol. 5, 1955, pp. 7–17.
4.
Bowles, J. E., Analytical and Computer Methods in Foundation Engineering, McGraw‐Hill Book Co., Inc., New York, N.Y., 1974.
5.
Cross, J. P., “Slope Stability Program,” Civil Engineering, American Society of Civil Engineers, Vol. 52, No. 10, 1982, pp. 71–74.
6.
Janbu, N., “Earth Pressures and Bearing Capacity Calculations by Generalized Procedure of Slices,” Proceedings, IVth International Conference Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, London, England, Vol. 2, 1957, pp. 207–212.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical Engineering
Volume 109 • Issue 11 • November 1983
Pages: 1487 - 1491
Copyright
Copyright © 1983 ASCE.
History
Published online: Nov 1, 1983
Published in print: Nov 1983
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.