CHAPTER 4

SLOPE STABILITY ANALYSYS

Muhammad Azril Hezmi

Introduction: Slope Failures
Types of Slope
Causes of Failures
Types of Failures
Method of Analysis
Slope stabilization
 Slope Failure
is the movement of mass on slope
(falls, slides, flows)

Landslide: involves an extensive area, mild

slope (<20o), movement is slow and gradual.
Slope Failure: limited area, steep slope,
movement is fast (sometimes with no signs)

The stability of a slope should be evaluated

when slope movement due to additional
load or loss of strength is identified to
cause problems.
 TYPES OF SLOPE

Natural Slopes
• Long term process
• Short process
Man-made Slopes
Excavated Slopes
Slopes of Embankment and Earth Dam
CAUSES OF SLOPE
FAILURE
Slope inclination
Additional load or Fill height
Excessive Pore water pressure
Loss of shear strength due to
Weathering
Liquefaction
Water (infiltration and seepage)
TYPES OF FAILURES

Wedge Failure is the soil mass movement due

to external force. This type of failure usually
occur on a weak plane or weak joint
Circular Failure or non circular failure,
Circular failure are associated with homogeneous
soil conditions
Non-circular slips are associated with non-
homogeneous conditions

Translational Failures occur where the form of

failure is influenced by the presence of weak
layer. The failure surface tends to be plane and
roughly parallel to the slope surface
TYPES OF FAILURES

Wedge Failure is the soil mass movement due

to external force. This type of failure usually
occur on a weak plane or weak joint
TYPES OF FAILURES

Circular Failure or non circular failure,

the shape of failure plane maybe circular or non-circular.
In general, circular slips are associated with
homogeneous soil conditions while non-circular slips are
associated with non-homogeneous conditions
TYPES OF FAILURES
Translational Failures occur where the form of
failure is influenced by the presence of weak
layer. The failure surface tends to be plane and
roughly parallel to the slope surface
 Principle of Slope Stability
Analysis
Sliding will occur if the shear stress developed
exceeds the corresponding shear resistance of the
soil. In this case, failure is assumes at a certain
plane
Possible
failure
surface
W sinα Rs

FS natural slope = 1.25 to 1.4

FS man-made slope > 1.5
 METHOD OF ANALYSIS
LIMIT EQUILIBRIUM METHODS

Factor of safety is the shear strength at the time of failure τf compared

to the stress acting at that plane τm.

τf
FS = > 1
τm
If FS = 1, then the slope is in critical condition.

At the time of failure, the shear strength of the soil is fully mobilized
along the failure plane. The shear strength is represented by the Mohr-
Coulomb criteria:

τ = cu (Total stress analysis)

τ = c’ + σ’ tan φ’ (Effective stress analysis)

METHOD OF ANALYSIS
Linear Methods: Relatively simple
• Infinite slope analysis
• Linear Failure Plane
• Analysis for the case of φu = 0 (undrained
condition)
• Wedge failure analysis

Non- Linear Methods: Method of Slices

Necessary for irregular slope geometry,
non-uniform soil condition, and seepage
in soil.
INFINITE SLOPE ANALYSIS

1
GWT
T

m z cos2β
β
Flow net
W

z mzz
µ
τ
T or
c γ ' tan φ '
FS = +
N or σ γ sat z cos 2 β sin β γ sat tan β
INFINITE SLOPE ANALYSIS
The shear strength along the failure plane

τf = c' + ( σ - μ ) tan φ '

The expression for σ, τ, and µ are

σ = {(1-m)γ + m γsat} z cos2 β
τm = {(1-m)γ + m γsat} z sin β cosβ
µ = m z γw cos2β
Substitute the above expressions to get
F
c' + (σ - μ ) tan φ'
FS =
τm

c γ' tan φ'

FS = 2
+
γ sat z cos β sin β γ sat tan β

For special case where c’ =0, FS =

γ' tan φ'
γ sat tan β

For the case where water table is far below the failure plane (m = 0)
tan φ'
FS =
tanβ
Note that when c’ = 0, then factor of safety is independent of
the height of the slope. The slope will be stable as long as
slope angle β is less than the internal friction angle ϕ. If
both cohesion and angle of internal friction angle is not
zero, then the critical condition (FS = 1) will be achieved
when

c'
z = z cr =
γ' cos 2β tanφ

For a total stress analysis, the shear strength

parameters cu and ϕu are used with a zero value of
m
FINITE SLOPE WITH LINEAR FAILURE PLANE

B C

W
N =W cosθ T=W sinθ
H

Rs L

β Rs c L + W cos θ tan φ
A θ FS = =
W sin θ W sin θ
From the figure, line AC is the trial failure plane
The weight of soil (ABC) is:
1 sin (β − θ)
W = γLH
2 sin β

The force that will cause the failure is

T = W sinθ

and the resistance to sliding is given by

Rs = cd L + W cosθ tanϕd

The factor of safety will be

Rs c L + W cos θ tan φ
FS = =
W sin θ W sin θ
Critical Conditions

Critical condition prevails when T = Rs.

By substituting FS = 1, then
1  sin (β − θ )sin (θ − φ d ) 
cd = γ H 
2  sinβ cos φ d 

for critical failure plane θ = (β + φd)/2

Substituting θ, we get γ H 1 − cos (β −φ d )

cd =  
4  sin β cos φ d 

And solving for H and replacing cd by c, then

4c  sinβ cosφ 
Hcr = 1− cos( β - φ ) 
γ  
Where Hcr is the safe depth of cut and β is the slope angle
Same principal valid for condition where a slope
consists of two layers where the upper layer is assumed
to slide along the interface between the two layers

B
C
W
N= Wcosθ
D T = Wsinθ
H
Rs
L
θ
A

β
Circular slope failure
Defining a Failure surface for a toe circle

β α1 α2
11.32 25 35
18.43 25 35
26.57 25 35
33.79 26 35
45 28 37
60 29 40

Note: there other charts available as guidelines for finding

the center of failure circle
 θ
R
SLOPE WITH
B
R d CIRCULAR FAILURE
PLANE
W
(homogeneous
A
cohesive soils, fu =
La 0)
θ
R yc
a. No tension crack
B
R d
Pw zc

W Hydrostatic
pressure in
tension crack
La

b. with tension crack

Slope in Homogeneous
Cohesive soils, φ = 0
τf cu
analysis τm = =
FS FS
cu
R s = τ m La = La
FS

cu
W d = La R
FS

cu La R
FS =
Wd
In the event of tension crack developing, then La is
shortened and hydrostatic force will act normal to the crack
if it is filled with water

cu La ' R
FS =
W d + Pw y c
The use of Charts

Taylor’s stability number

Janbu stability charts
Bischop and Morgenstein charts for effective
stress analysis
Morgenstein’s graphs for rapid drawdown

Here we discuss the Taylor’s stability chart only

 The Use of Charts, Taylor’s chart

nd H H β
 METHOD OF SLICES

In this method, the potential failure surface is

assumed to be a circular arc with center O and
radius r (see figure).
The soil mass (ABCD) above the failure surface
(AC) is divided by vertical planes into a series of
slices of width b.
The base of each slice is assumed to be a
straight line. For any slice, the inclination of the
base to the horizontal line is αi and the height
(measured at the centerline) is hi.
METHOD OF SLICES
Ο

x
β
9

8 X Xi
R 7
i-1

α Ε ι−1 Wi Ei
6
h
5
4 Τι

2
3
α Νι−µ
1 α

b
forces acting on a slice
As before,
The factor of safety is defined as the ratio of the available
shear strength to the shear stress acting on the plane

τf
FS=
τm

The factor of safety is taken to be the same for each slice,

implying that there must be support between slices
(forces must act between slices)
Forces acting on a slice are

The total weight of the slice, W = γbh

The total normal force on the base: the effective
normal force N’ = σ’l and the boundary water
force U = µ l. where u is the p.w.p. at the center
of the base and l is the length of the base
The shear force on the base, T = τm l
The total normal forces on the sides, E1 and E2
The shear forces on the sides, X1 and X2
Any external forces must be included in the
analysis.
 Assumptions must be made regarding the
inter-slice forces E and X

Taking moment about O, the sum of the moments of the shear forces T
on the failure arc AC must be equal to the moment of the weight of
the soil mass ABCD.

∑ TR = ∑ W R sin α ∑τ l f
F =
∑ (τ f l ) / F = ∑ W sin α ∑W sin α
For analysis in terms of effective stress
(c' La + Σ N ' tan φ ')
(c' + σ' tan φ ')l
F =

F =
∑ or
∑W sin α

∑W sin α
Where La is the arc length of AC
The Fellenius (Swedish) Method
Fellenius assumed that the resultant of the inter-slice forces is zero,
then

N’ = W cos α – ul

Hence the factor of safety in terms of effective stress is given by:

∑ (c' l + (W cos β − µ l ) tan φ ')

Fm =
∑W sin α
The components W cosα and W sinα can be determined graphically
while angle a can be calculated or measured
For analysis in terms of total stress parameter or φu = 0, then
Σcu La
F=
ΣW sin α
The Bischop (Routine) Method
Bischop assumed that the resultant of the inter-slice forces are
horizontal i.e. X1 –X2 = 0, then

1
T = (c' l + N' tan φ' )
F
Resolving forces in the vertical direction:

c' l N'
W = N' cosα + ul cosα + sinα + tanφ' sinα
F F
 c' l 
 W − sin α − u l cos α 
N'=  F 
By replacing l = b seca
 tan φ ' sin α 
 cos α +  And after some rearrangement
 F  We obtain:
The Bischop (Routine) Method (cont’d)

 sec α 
FS =
1
∑ {c' b + (W − ub) tan φ '}
ΣW sin a  1 + (tan a tan φ ' / F )

By replacing ru = u/γh = u/(W/b) then:

 sec α 
FS =
1
∑ {c' b + W (1 − ru ) tan φ '} 
ΣW sin a  ( )
1 + tan a tan φ ' / F 
The Bischop (Routine) Method (cont’d)

Since F appear in both sides of the equation, then use trial

and error.

To simplify the calculation, the following chart could be used

 tan a tanφ ' 

m = cos a 1 + 
a  F 
Then

 1
FS =
1
∑ {c' b + W (1 − ru ) tan φ '} 
ΣW sin a  ma 
To get FS from the equation,
can use computer program or
graph 1. Assume F right = 1,
find mα
2. Find F left
3. Take the average of F
right and F left
4. Use this average F,
find mα
5. Find new F left
6. Repeat steps 3 and 4
until the difference
between F right and F
left is small enough
(0.01)
reroute to excell program
for Bischop
COMMENT ON SLICES
METHODS
Due to repetitive nature of the calculations and the need
to select the most critical failure surface, the method
of slices in particularly suitable for solution by
computer. More complex geometry and soil strata can
be introduced.
There are other methods of slices as shown in the following
Table. These methods use different assumption on inter-
slices forces.
Slices methods of analysis frequently used in practice.

Force Moment
Shape of slip surface
Method equilibrium equilibrium

Ordinary method of Does not satisfy Yes. Circular

slices (Fellenius, 1927) horizontal or vertical
forces equilibrium
Bishops Modified Satisfy vertical force Yes. Circular only. Non
(Bishop, 1955) but not horizontal circular may have
force equilibrium numerical problems.
Janbu’s simplified Yes No Any shape. More
method frequent numerical
(Janbu, 1956) problems than other
methods
Morgenstern and Price Yes. Permits side Yes. Any shape.
(Morgenstern and Price, forces to be varied
1965)

Spencer’s Method Yes. Side forces are Yes. Any shape.

(Spencer, 1967) assumed to be parallel
 ASSIGNMENT 1:
SLOPE STABILITY ANALYSIS
• Pick a problem and the CD + manual
• Analyze the problem using SLOPE/W student version
(in this case you can use Bischop, Janbu or GLE
methods available for Student version).
• Find the slip surface that gives the lowest factor of
safety (critical failure surface)
• Sketch of your slope in graph paper and trace the
critical failure surface you obtained from SLOPE/W on
your graph
• Use method of slices to calculate the factor of safety
either using Bischop or Fellenius method (you may
make use of Excell for your calculation).
 ASSIGNMENT 1:
SLOPE STABILITY ANALYSIS
Discuss the results and write a report (Group). The report should include
Introduction (the problem)
Results of SLOPE/W output including contour of FS and the critical failure
surface + analysis of 1 slice
Results of your manual calculation (with the help of Excell program)
Discussion and comparisons