SLIDE HAND CALCULATION #2

Calculate by hand the factor of safety of the circular failure surface shown in Fig. 1
using the following methods:
a) Bishop Simplified (7 slices)
b) Verify parts a) using Slide
Fig. 1 Slope cross section

a) Bishop Simplified Solution:

Draw the slope cross section to scale and divide it into 7 vertical slices (see Fig. 2).
Using a ruler and protractor, measure the slice data from the cross sectional diagram.
Table 1 summarizes the slice data.
Table 1 Slice Data
Slice
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

Base (m)
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5

Height(m)
0.8
2.3
3.3
3.9
4.1
3.6
1.65

(deg)
-9
0.5
9
18.5
28
39
52

(deg)
20
20
20
20
20
20
20

c (kPa)
20
20
20
20
20
20
20

(kN/m3)
20
20
20
20
20
20
20

Fig. 2 Cross section of slope 7 slices

Label the forces acting on each slice (see Fig. 3). Note that interslice shear forces are
not depicted because they are assumed to be zero in the Bishop Simplified method.
Fig. 3 Forces acting on slice

The Bishop Simplified method satisfies two equilibrium conditions: overall moment
equilibrium about the center O and vertical force equilibrium on each slice.
First consider the overall moment equilibrium about the center O

n =1

n =1

= Wr sin Tr = 0

Dividing both sides of the equation by r yields

(1)

n =1

n =1

= W sin T = 0

(2)

If we assume that the factor of safety F is the same for all 7 slices, the mobilized shear
force T is given by
T=

c' l + tan ' ( N ul )

F

(3)

Substituting (3) into (2) and rearranging yields

7

F=

c' l + tan ' ( N ul )

n =1

(4)

W sin
n =1

To solve for N, consider the equilibrium of forces in the vertical direction on each slice
N cos + T sin W = 0
c' l + tan ' ( N ul )
sin W = 0
F
c' l tan ' ul
tan ' tan

N = W
sin cos 1 +

F
F

N cos +

(5)

Substituting (5) into (4) yields0

'ul

W c 'l tan
sin
F

c' l + tan '

F= 7

tan ' tan

cos
1

n =1
F

W sin

(6)

n =1

Note: l=bsec
To solve for the factor of safety from (6), we start with an initial estimated value for F.
Iterations of successive approximation are performed until value of F converges to
within a given tolerance.
For this problem, a tolerance of 0.005 is used.
See Table 2 for Excel spreadsheets of the calculations for each iteration.
Answer: FOSBishop Simplified = 1.55

1
2
3
4
5
6
7

q
b
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5

Calc.
Slice

1
2
3
4
5
6
7

q
b
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5

Iteration 2

Calc.
Slice

Iteration 1

-9
0.5
9
18.5
28
39
52

w
h
0.8
2.3
3.3
3.9
4.1
3.6
1.65

-9
0.5
9
18.5
28
39
52

F2 = 1.6437

w
h
0.8
2.3
3.3
3.9
4.1
3.6
1.65

F1 = 5

F3 =

r
r
t
y
u
i
o
r-(u*t)/F
W =bh
sin
Wsin
u
c'l
cos
7.84
40 -0.156434 -6.25738 43.4005 44.1304537 0.9876883
22.54
115 0.008727 1.003552 29.4914 114.84343 0.9999619
32.34
165 0.156434 25.81169 20.8295 163.017648 0.9876883
38.22
195 0.317305 61.87441 16.0522 191.901294 0.9483237
40.18
205 0.469472 96.24167 15.2208 200.652717 0.8829476
35.28
180 0.62932 113.2777 23.0302 171.182613 0.777146
16.17
82.5 0.788011 65.01089 57.3148 55.0230061 0.6156615
y =
356.9625

F2 =

r
t
y
u
i
o
1)
W =bh
sin
Wsin c'l-tan'ul t-(i*y)/F
cos
u
7.84
40 -0.156434 -6.25738 43.4005 41.3578673 0.9876883
22.54
115 0.008727 1.003552 29.4914 114.948528 0.9999619
32.34
165 0.156434 25.81169 20.8295 164.348311 0.9876883
38.22
195 0.317305 61.87441 16.0522 193.981315 0.9483237
40.18
205 0.469472 96.24167 15.2208 203.570851 0.8829476
35.28
180 0.62932 113.2777 23.0302 177.101325 0.777146
16.17
82.5 0.788011 65.01089 57.3148 73.4670671 0.6156615
y =
356.9625

Table 3 Bishop Simplified Method Calculations

0.95304907
1.00189424
1.02232761
1.0185844
0.98690264
0.91649632
0.79015063

1.56277342

-0.0576472
0.00317632
0.05764722
0.12178274
0.19352641
0.29473728
0.46586066

y/g =

s
o*(1+1)/F)

1.64372656

y/g =

1)
c'tan

0.97630084
1.00059716
0.99907584
0.97142155
0.91712233
0.82295674
0.67302397

d
1)*(1+s/F)

-0.0576472
0.00317632
0.05764722
0.12178274
0.19352641
0.29473728
0.46586066

s
c'tan
8.195696
41.81287
59.87323
72.68052
80.78936
78.32685
39.73087

g
N*tan'

16.85346
41.72056
58.03773
68.57199
74.00083
67.98213
25.34547

f
N*tan'

F = 0.080953

46.30449
114.6263
159.4573
188.4
203.3156
186.7794
69.6361

d
N=i/1!

F = 3.356273

42.36181
114.8799
164.5003
199.6881
221.967
215.2013
109.1597

f
N=o/s

60.253973
71.211962
78.867179
84.624151
89.221656
91.012332
82.660249
h =
557.8515

g
u+f

51.596212
71.304274
80.702678
88.732683
96.010189
101.35705
97.045649
h =
586.74873

h
i+g

1
2
3
4
5
6
7

q
b
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5

Calc.
Slice

1
2
3
4
5
6
7

q
b
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5

Iteration 4

Calc.
Slice

Iteration 3

-9
0.5
9
18.5
28
39
52

w
h
0.8
2.3
3.3
3.9
4.1
3.6
1.65

-9
0.5
9
18.5
28
39
52

F4 = 1.5559

w
h
0.8
2.3
3.3
3.9
4.1
3.6
1.65

F3 = 1.5628

F5 =

r
r
t
y
u
i
o
W =bh
sin
Wsin
r-(u*t)/F
u
c'l
cos
7.84
40 -0.156434 -6.25738 43.4005 44.3636832 0.9876883
22.54
115 0.008727 1.003552 29.4914 114.834589 0.9999619
32.34
165 0.156434 25.81169 20.8295 162.905713 0.9876883
38.22
195 0.317305 61.87441 16.0522 191.726323 0.9483237
40.18
205 0.469472 96.24167 15.2208 200.407244 0.8829476
35.28
180 0.62932 113.2777 23.0302 170.684732 0.777146
16.17
82.5 0.788011 65.01089 57.3148 53.4714947 0.6156615
y =
356.9625

F4 =

r
r
t
y
u
i
o
r-(u*t)/F
W =bh
sin
Wsin
u
c'l
cos
7.84
40 -0.156434 -6.25738 43.4005 44.3444151 0.9876883
22.54
115 0.008727 1.003552 29.4914 114.83532 0.9999619
32.34
165 0.156434 25.81169 20.8295 162.914961 0.9876883
38.22
195 0.317305 61.87441 16.0522 191.740778 0.9483237
40.18
205 0.469472 96.24167 15.2208 200.427524 0.8829476
35.28
180 0.62932 113.2777 23.0302 170.725864 0.777146
16.17
82.5 0.788011 65.01089 57.3148 53.599672 0.6156615
y =
356.9625

Table 3 Bishop Simplified Method Calculations (contd)

0.95109313
1.00200335
1.02428355
1.02255173
0.99277255
0.92436486
0.80000331

1.55525705

-0.0576472
0.00317632
0.05764722
0.12178274
0.19352641
0.29473728
0.46586066

y/g =

s
o*(1+1)/F)

1.5558729

y/g =

1)
c'tan

0.95125472
1.00199433
1.02412196
1.02222397
0.99228761
0.9237148
0.79918933

s
o*(1+1)/F)

-0.0576472
0.00317632
0.05764722
0.12178274
0.19352641
0.29473728
0.46586066

1)
c'tan
16.96711
41.71345
57.89955
68.27069
73.51664
67.27091
24.41059

f
N*tan'

16.97737
41.71281
57.88713
68.24366
73.4733
67.2074
24.32744

f
N*tan'

F = 0.000616

46.64494
114.605
159.0436
187.4979
201.8662
184.6508
66.83909

d
N=i/1!

F = 0.006901

46.61676
114.6068
159.0777
187.5722
201.9853
184.8253
67.06755

d
N=i/1!

60.377886
71.204207
78.716578
84.295823
88.69412
90.237601
81.642222
h =
555.16844

g
u+f

60.36763
71.204848
78.728998
84.322851
88.737466
90.301105
81.725375
h =
555.38827

g
u+f

b) Verification Using Slide:

Start a new file and define the slope cross section.
Select: Boundaries
Add External Boundary

Enter the slope cross section coordinates as given in Fig. 1

Define the Material Properties as given in the problem

Select: Properties
Define Materials

Define the Project Settings as given in the problem

Select: Analysis
Project Settings

Under the Methods tab, select Bishops method of analysis and fill in the number
of slices and the tolerance.

Add the circular surface defined in the problem

Select: Surfaces
Add Surface (center, radius)

Enter center (x,y) of slip circle [esc=quit]: 13.689 25.558

Enter radius of slip circle [esc=quit]: 15.989

Your screen should now look as follows:

Add the water table

Select: Boundaries
Add Water Table

Enter the water table coordinates as given in Fig. 1 or graphically add the water
table along the slope surface.

Your screen should now look as follows:

Save the file before analyzing the model.

Select: File
Save
Select: Analysis
Compute
Select: Analysis
Interpret

Your screen should now look as follows:

Answer: Slide calculated FOSBishops = 1.55

Answer: Hand calculated FOSBishops = 1.55

REFERENCES
1. Sharma, S., (1996), Chap 6: Slope Stability and Stabilization Methods, Abramson,
L.W., Lee, T.S., Sharma, S., and Boyce, G.M. New York: Wiley, pp 408-424.