Quasi-Three-Dimensional Slope Stability Analysis Method for General Sliding Bodies
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 130, Issue 6
Abstract
A quasi-three-dimensional procedure has been developed for computing the stability of earth slopes and waste containment facilities along general slip surfaces. The procedure, termed the Resistance-Weighted procedure, is an extension of existing quasi-three-dimensional procedures, which utilize results from two-dimensional slope stability analyses to estimate three-dimensional stability. As a part of this procedure, a scheme has been developed for modeling realistic three-dimensional sites and efficiently generating input data for two-dimensional analyses. This scheme enables Resistance-Weighted calculations to be performed using existing commercial spreadsheet and two-dimensional slope stability software. The method can also be incorporated into existing two-dimensional slope stability software with relatively little development effort. The Resistance-Weighted procedure and geometric modeling scheme are presented in this paper. Application of the procedure to a case history and results of a series of analyses to validate the procedure are described. The results of the analyses show that the Resistance-Weighted procedure produces results that compare favorably with more rigorous three-dimensional procedures. Although the Resistance-Weighted procedure is approximate, it serves as a simple means for estimating the magnitude of three-dimensional effects when a more rigorous three-dimensional procedure is not available.
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Information & Authors
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Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 130 • Issue 6 • June 2004
Pages: 551 - 560
Copyright
Copyright © 2004 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jan 16, 2002
Accepted: Jul 28, 2003
Published online: May 14, 2004
Published in print: Jun 2004
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