Vector-Sum Method for 2D Slope Stability Analysis Considering Vector Characteristics of Force
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 19, Issue 6
Abstract
The vector-sum method (VSM) is advanced by considering the vector characteristics. As a cost of this advantage, a predefined global sliding direction is required, which has been a key issue for the application of the VSM. Although the VSM has been steadily refined since its initial version in 2008, limited progress on this issue has been achieved, and the global sliding direction is still prespecified by assumption. In the aim of solving this issue, this article proposes a rigorous analytical solution based on the principle of potential energy minimization. In addition, the VSM is improved by comparing the resisting moment with the driving moment at the moment center, which can be determined by the shape of the slip surface. Finally, this method is verified to be feasible by three classical earthen slopes with different soil composition. Compared with the solutions found by the rigorous Morgenstern-Price method with the half-sine function as the interslice force function, the calculated results demonstrate that the proposed method can accurately estimate slope stability.
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Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the China Scholarship Council and National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant 51674239), Open Funds Research Project of Key Laboratory of Geological Hazards on Three Gorges Reservoir Area (China Three Gorges University), Ministry of Education (2018KDZ02), and International Science and Technology Cooperation Program of China (Grant 2018YFE0100100). We further thank two anonymous reviewers, the associate editor, and editorial coordinator Monica Leigh for their valuable comments, which improved this article significantly.
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Published In
International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 19 • Issue 6 • June 2019
Copyright
© 2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Apr 13, 2018
Accepted: Dec 31, 2018
Published online: Apr 12, 2019
Published in print: Jun 1, 2019
Discussion open until: Sep 12, 2019
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