Simultaneous Determination of Critical Slip Surface and Reliability Index for Slopes
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 133, Issue 7
Abstract
This paper presents a new method for applying reliability-based design approaches to slope stability analysis. In this method the soil properties are considered to be random variables. The factor of safety of the slope is found using Bishop’s simplified method for noncircular slip surfaces. By considering the variability of the soil properties, the probability of failure is determined from the reliability index . The minimization problem (determination of the lowest value for the range of variables and possible slip surfaces considered) is solved using a genetic algorithm approach, which simultaneously locates the critical slip surface and determines the reliability index. The performance of the new method is compared to some existing reliability approaches when applied to case histories of slope failures from the geotechnical literature. The new approach is seen to provide reasonable and consistent estimates of the reliability index and critical slip surface.
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Acknowledgments
This research was funded by Iarnród Éireann. The writers wish to thank Mr. Brian Garvey, chief civil engineer with Iarnród Éireann, for technical and financial assistance. The first writer was the recipient of a Geotechnical Trust Fund award from the Geotechnical Society of Ireland. The writers also wish to acknowledge the detailed comments provided by the reviewers of the paper.
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Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 133 • Issue 7 • July 2007
Pages: 878 - 886
Copyright
© 2007 ASCE.
History
Received: Oct 18, 2005
Accepted: Jan 18, 2007
Published online: Jul 1, 2007
Published in print: Jul 2007
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