Technical Papers
Mar 29, 2016

Assessment of Slope Stability in the Monitoring Parameter Space

Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 142, Issue 7

Abstract

Slope monitoring is routinely conducted, and observational information such as surface/underground displacements, groundwater levels, and rock bolt forces at multiple locations is collected. How to make use of the monitoring information to reveal failure mechanisms and assess the slope stability is a key issue in slope engineering. This paper presents a method for assessing the slope stability by integrating monitoring parameters with physical analysis. The observed information first was used to back analyze the strength and loading parameters, and then the updated basic parameters were used to calculate the factor of safety or failure probability of the slope. The dominant basic parameters whose uncertainties influence the observed results the most were identified from the probabilistic back analysis. Alert levels were defined in the monitoring parameter space on the basis of a factor of safety or failure probability criterion. A rock slope example was worked out to illustrate the application of the proposed method.

Get full access to this article

View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.

Acknowledgments

The research reported in this paper was substantially supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (Project No. 2011CB013506), the Research Grants Council (RGC) of the Hong Kong SAR (Grant Nos. HKUST6/CRF/12R and 16212514), the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars (Project No. 51225903), and the Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province of China (Project No. 2014CFA001).

References

Anbalagan, R. (1992). “Landslide hazard evaluation and zonation mapping in mountainous terrain.” Eng. Geol., 32(4), 269–277.
Ang, A. H. S., and Tang, W. H. (2007). Probability concepts in engineering: Emphasis on applications in civil & environmental engineering, 2nd Ed., Wiley, New York.
Aslan, N. (2008). “Application of response surface methodology and central composite rotatable design for modeling and optimization of a multi-gravity separator for chromite concentration.” Powder Technol., 185(1), 80–86.
Bucher, C. G., and Bourgund, U. (1990). “A fast and efficient response surface approach for structural reliability problems.” Struct. Saf., 7(1), 57–66.
Cao, Z. J., and Wang, Y. (2014). “Bayesian model comparison and characterization of undrained shear strength.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 04014018.
Ching, J. Y., Phoon, K. K., and Chen, Y. C. (2010). “Reducing shear strength uncertainties in clays by multivariate correlations.” Can. Geotech. J., 47(1), 16–33.
Crosta, G. B., and Agliardi, F. (2003). “Failure forecast for large rock slides by surface displacement measurement.” Can. Geotech. J., 40(1), 176–191.
Dai, F. C., and Lee, C. F. (2002). “Landslide characteristics and slope instability modeling using GIS, Lantau Island, Hong Kong.” Geomorphology, 42(3–4), 213–228.
Duncan, J. M. (2000). “Factors of safety and reliability in geotechnical engineering.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 307–316.
Ermini, L., Catani, F., and Casagli, N. (2005). “Artificial neural networks applied to landslide susceptibility assessment.” Geomorphology, 66(1-4), 327–343.
Gilbert, R. B., Wright, S. G., and Liedtke, E. (1998). “Uncertainty in back analysis of slopes: Ketteman Hills case history.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 1167–1176.
Gilks, W. R., Richardson, S., and Spiegelhalter, D. J. (1996). Markov chain Monte Carlo in practice, 1st Ed., Chapman & Hall, London.
Griffiths, D. V., and Lane, P. A. (1999). “Slope stability analysis by finite elements.” Geotechnique, 49(3), 387–403.
Hoek, E., and Bray, J. W. (1974). Rock slope engineering, Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, London.
Hsiao, E. C. L., Schuster, M., Juang, C. H., and Kung, G. T. C. (2008). “Reliability analysis and updating of excavation-induced ground settlement for building serviceability assessment.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 1448–1458.
Itasca Consulting Group, Inc. (2000). FLAC users’ guide, Minneapolis.
Jiang, S. H., Li, D. Q., Zhang, L. M., and Zhou, C. B. (2014a). “Slope reliability analysis considering spatially variable shear strength parameters using a nonintrusive stochastic finite element method.” Eng. Geol., 168, 120–128.
Jiang, S. H., Li, D. Q., Zhang, L. M., and Zhou, C. B. (2014b). “Time-dependent system reliability of anchored rock slopes considering rock bolt corrosion effect.” Eng. Geol., 175, 1–8.
Li, D. Q., Chen, Y. F., Lu, W. B., and Zhou, C. B. (2011). “Stochastic response surface method for reliability analysis of rock slopes involving correlated non-normal variables.” Comput. Geotech., 38(1), 58–68.
Li, X. Y., Zhang, L. M., and Jiang, S. H. (2016). “Updating performance of high rock slopes by combining incremental time-series monitoring data and three-dimensional numerical analysis.” Int. J. Rock Mech. Mining Sci., 83, 252–261.
Low, B. K. (2007). “Reliability analysis of rock slopes involving correlated nonnormals.” Int. J. Rock Mech. Mining Sci., 44(6), 922–935.
Marr, W. A. (2011). “Active risk management in geotechnical engineering.” Georisk-2011, Geotechnical Special Publication GSP 224, ASCE, Reston, VA, 894–901.
Marr, W. A. (2013). “Instrumentation and monitoring of slope stability.” Proc., Geo-Congress 2013, ASCE, Reston, VA, 2231–2252.
Metropolis, N., Rosenbluth, A., Rosenbluth, M., and Teller, A. (1953). “Equations of state calculations by fast computing machines.” J. Chem. Phys., 21(6), 1087–1092.
Papaioannou, I., and Straub, D. (2012). “Reliability updating in geotechnical engineering including spatial variability of soil.” Comput. Geotech., 42, 44–51.
Peck, R. B. (1969). “Advantages and limitations of the observational method in applied soil mechanics.” Geotechnique, 19(2), 171–187.
Peng, M., Li, X. Y., Li, D. Q., Jiang, S. H., and Zhang, L. M. (2014). “Slope safety evaluation by integrating multi-source monitoring information.” Struct. Saf., 49, 65–74.
Shukla, S. K., and Hossain, M. M. (2011). “Stability analysis of multi-directional anchored rock slope subjected to surcharge and seismic loads.” Soil Dyn. Earthq. Eng., 31(5-6), 841–844.
Tiwari, B., Brandon, T. L., Marui, H., and Tuladhar, G. R. (2005). “Comparison of residual shear strengths from back analysis and ring shear tests on undisturbed and remolded specimens.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng.J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 1071–1079.
Wang, L., Hwang, J. H., Luo, Z., Juang, C. H., and Xiao, J. H. (2013). “Probabilistic back analysis of slope failure—A case study in Taiwan.” Comput. Geotech., 51, 12–23.
Wang, L., Luo, Z., Xiao, J. H., and Juang, C. H. (2014). “Probabilistic inverse analysis of excavation-induced wall and ground responses for assessing damage potential of adjacent buildings.” Geotech. Geol. Eng., 32(2), 273–285.
Wang, Y., Cao, Z. J., and Au, S. K. (2010). “Efficient Monte Carlo simulation of parameter sensitivity in probabilistic slope stability analysis.” Comput. Geotech., 37(7-8), 1015–1022.
Wesley, L. D., and Leelaratnam, V. (2001). “Shear strength parameters from back-analysis of single slips.” Geotechnique, 51(4), 373–374.
Wu, T. H., and Abdel-Latif, M. A. (2000). “Prediction and mapping of landslide hazard.” Can. Geotech. J., 37(4), 781–795.
Yang, C. X., Wu, Y. H., Hon, T., and Feng, X. T. (2011). “Application of extended Kalman filter to back analysis of the natural stress state accounting for measuring uncertainties.” Int. J. Numer. Anal. Meth. Geomech., 35(6), 694–712.
Zhang, J., Tang, W. H., and Zhang, L. M. (2010a). “Efficient probabilistic back-analysis of slope stability model parameters.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 99–109.
Zhang, J., Zhang, L. M., and Tang, W. H. (2009). “Bayesian framework for characterizing geotechnical model uncertainty.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng.J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 932–940.
Zhang, L. L., Zhang, J., Zhang, L. M., and Tang, W. H. (2010b). “Back analysis of slope failure with Markov chain Monte Carlo simulation.” Comput. Geotech., 37(7–8), 905–912.

Information & Authors

Information

Published In

Go to Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 142Issue 7July 2016

History

Received: May 17, 2015
Accepted: Dec 31, 2015
Published online: Mar 29, 2016
Published in print: Jul 1, 2016
Discussion open until: Aug 29, 2016

Permissions

Request permissions for this article.

Authors

Affiliations

X. Y. Li
Ph.D. Candidate, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hong Kong Univ. of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay 999077, Hong Kong.
L. M. Zhang, F.ASCE [email protected]
Professor, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hong Kong Univ. of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay 999077, Hong Kong (corresponding author). E-mail: [email protected]
S. H. Jiang
Lecturer, Nanchang Univ., Jiangxi 430000, P.R. China.
D. Q. Li, M.ASCE
Professor, State Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering Science, Wuhan Univ., Wuhan 330000, P.R. China.
C. B. Zhou
Professor, Nanchang Univ., Jiangxi 430000, P.R. China.

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.

Cited by

View Options

Get Access

Access content

Please select your options to get access

Log in/Register Log in via your institution (Shibboleth)
ASCE Members: Please log in to see member pricing

Purchase

Save for later Information on ASCE Library Cards
ASCE Library Cards let you download journal articles, proceedings papers, and available book chapters across the entire ASCE Library platform. ASCE Library Cards remain active for 24 months or until all downloads are used. Note: This content will be debited as one download at time of checkout.

Terms of Use: ASCE Library Cards are for individual, personal use only. Reselling, republishing, or forwarding the materials to libraries or reading rooms is prohibited.
ASCE Library Card (5 downloads)
$105.00
Add to cart
ASCE Library Card (20 downloads)
$280.00
Add to cart
Buy Single Article
$35.00
Add to cart

Get Access

Access content

Please select your options to get access

Log in/Register Log in via your institution (Shibboleth)
ASCE Members: Please log in to see member pricing

Purchase

Save for later Information on ASCE Library Cards
ASCE Library Cards let you download journal articles, proceedings papers, and available book chapters across the entire ASCE Library platform. ASCE Library Cards remain active for 24 months or until all downloads are used. Note: This content will be debited as one download at time of checkout.

Terms of Use: ASCE Library Cards are for individual, personal use only. Reselling, republishing, or forwarding the materials to libraries or reading rooms is prohibited.
ASCE Library Card (5 downloads)
$105.00
Add to cart
ASCE Library Card (20 downloads)
$280.00
Add to cart
Buy Single Article
$35.00
Add to cart

Media

Figures

Other

Tables

Share

Share

Copy the content Link

Share with email

Email a colleague

Share