CARGA SÍSMICA (SLIDE 5.

0)

Seismic Load
The Seismic Load option in the Loading menu allows the user to include the
effect of pseudo-static earthquake loading in the limit equilibrium analysis.

In the Seismic Load dialog, the user may define seismic coefficients for the
Horizontal and / or Vertical directions. The Seismic Coefficients are dimensionless
coefficients which represent the (maximum) earthquake acceleration as a fraction
of the acceleration due to gravity. Typical values are in the range of 0.1 to 0.3.

Seismic Force

If seismic coefficients are defined, a seismic force will be applied to each slice as
follows:

Seismic Force = Seismic Coefficient * Slice Weight

= Seismic Coefficient * area of slice * Unit Weight of slice material

Note that the acceleration due to gravity (g = 9.81 m/s2 for metric units) is already
incorporated into the material Unit Weight entered in the Define Material
Properties dialog (remember that the dimensions of Unit Weight are kN / m3), and
therefore does not explicitly appear in the above equation.

The seismic force is applied through the centroid of each slice.

Horizontal Seismic Coefficient

The HORIZONTAL seismic coefficient is always POSITIVE, and represents a

horizontal seismic force directed OUT OF the slope (i.e. in the direction of failure).

Since the HORIZONTAL seismic force in Slide is always directed OUT OF the slope, a
HORIZONTAL seismic coefficient should always DECREASE the safety factor, for a
given slip surface, compared to the same model with NO seismic load applied.

Vertical Seismic Coefficient

The VERTICAL seismic coefficient may be either POSITIVE or NEGATIVE.

• A POSITIVE vertical seismic coefficient represents a vertical seismic force

directed DOWNWARDS.
• A NEGATIVE vertical seismic coefficient represents a vertical seismic force
directed UPWARDS.

The effect of a VERTICAL seismic force is less obvious. A VERTICAL seismic

coefficient may either DECREASE or INCREASE the safety factor, since the vertical
seismic force affects the normal stress, and hence the shear strength, at the base
of each slice. Experiment with different POSITIVE and NEGATIVE values of the
VERTICAL seismic coefficient, and observe the effect on safety factor.
TIP: you can use the Sensitivity Analysis feature of Slide to easily determine the
effect of the vertical seismic coefficient, over any desired range of values.

Excess Pore Pressure

The Excess Pore Pressure option in the Seismic Load dialog, will only be available if
the "Calculate Excess Pore Pressure (B-bar method)" checkbox is selected in
the Groundwater tab of the Project Settings dialog.

If you select the "Load creates excess pore pressure" checkbox, then a VERTICAL
seismic load will generate excess pore pressure for all materials with B-bar > 0.
This only applies to the VERTICAL seismic coefficient. It does NOT apply to the
HORIZONTAL seismic coefficient. For more information see the Excess Pore
Pressure topic.

Seismic Load Icon

When seismic load is applied (i.e. the Horizontal and / or Vertical seismic
coefficients are non-zero in the Seismic Load dialog), a Seismic Load icon will
appear in the upper right corner of the view. This is to remind the user that Seismic
Load is in effect, so that they do not run analyses without realizing that Seismic
Load coefficients have been specified. The magnitude and direction of the Seismic
Load coefficients, will also be displayed with the icon.

Seismic load icon

Right Click Shortcut

If seismic load is applied, and you right click on the Seismic Load icon, you can
select Modify Seismic Load from the popup menu. This is a shortcut to the Seismic
Load dialog.