Slope PDF

SLOPE STABILITY
MAHMOUD ALI
M.S.C, CAIRO UNIVERSITY
PHD CANDADITES
RESEARCH ASSISTANT, CONSTRUCTION RESEARCH INSTITUTE
SENIOR GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEER, A&A CONSULTANT
Over past decades, experience with behavior of slopes and their
failures led to development of improved understanding w.r.t. :
- Changes to soil properties over time.

- Recognition of requirements and limitations of laboratory and in-
situ testing for evaluating shear strength.
- Importance of instrumentation to observe behavior of slopes.
- Analytical procedures related to mechanics of slope stability.
- Use of computers to perform thorough stability analyses.
2
Mechanism of slope failure:
- Soil mass tends to slide downwards under its own weight (W).
- Shear resistance along the slip surface tends to resist the sliding of
the soil mass.
- Failure occurs when the driving stresses (caused by W) exceeds the
available resisting stresses (shear strength).
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4
Examples/Causes of Slope Failures
1- Waco Dam embankment failure (1961):
- Failure during construction.

- Slide along section of embankment
resting on “Pepper Shale” formation.
- Failure due to: lower strength along
horizontal planes, which agreed with
the observed failure.
5
2- London Road landslide in Oakland, California (1970) :
- Failure after “above average” rainfall for long period

(2 years)
- Deep seated failure (20m deep)
- Slow moving slide
- Failure due to: Lower shear strength associated with
weathering of foundation rock , above average
rainfall resulting in raised groundwater levels
increased pore water pressure decrease in effective
stresses.
6
3- Highway 24 landslide near Orinda,

California (1970) :
- Failure after “intense” rainfall for short

period (2 days)
- Shallow slides (1 m deep)
- When dry, the silty/sandy clays are stiff
and strong and slope is stable. After
being saturated due to intense rainfall,
soil lost much of its strength failure.
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Causes of Slope Failures
 Decrease in soil shear strength:
- Increased pore water pressure (reduced effective stress): rise in
groundwater levels + seepage associated with heavy rainfall.
- Cracking: cohesive soils, near slope crest crack, strength on plane is
lost.
- Swelling: highly plastic and heavily overconsolidated clays swell when
in contact with water strength loss.
- Creep under sustained loads and cyclic loading : clays, especially
highly plastic clays, deform continuously under sustained loading
(creep).
- Weathering: rocks and hard soils are subject to strength loss upon
weathering.
8
Causes of Slope Failures
 Increase in shear stress:
- Loads at the top of the slope.
- Water pressure in cracks at the top of the slope
- Increase in soil weight due to increased water content
- Excavation at the bottom of the slope leading to steeper and/or
higher slope. Similar effect may be caused by erosion of soil by
water stream at the base of slope.
- Drop of water level at the base of a slope: referred to as “rapid
drawdown” loses stabilizing effect provided by external water
pressure at the lower part of slope.
- Earthquake: increased cyclic stresses.
9
Drained & Undrained conditions
The difference between both conditions is “time”.
 Undrained condition: changes in loads occur more rapidly than water
can flow in or out of soil, so pore water pressure increase or decrease
in response to changes in loads.
 Drained condition: changes in loads are slow enough, or remain in

place for long enough, so water is able to flow in or out of the soil.
Pore water pressures are controlled by hydraulic boundary conditions
and are unaffected by changes in loads.
10
Basic requirements for slope stability analyses
 Short term condition:
- Soils that drain slowly (clays) “undrained analysis” using

total stress strength parameters (no pore water pressures
are specified).
- Soils that drain quickly (sands and gravels) drained analysis
using effective stress strength parameters pore water
pressures determined from hydraulic boundary conditions.
11
Basic requirements for slope stability analyses
 Long term condition :
- Clays, sands, and gravels drained analysis using effective stress

strength parameters pore water pressures determined from
hydraulic boundary conditions.
• End-of-construction stability (short term analyses).
• Long term stability (long term analyses).
• Staged construction: stability analyses require consolidation
analyses to estimate the increase in effective stresses resulting
from partial consolidation of soil.
12
Factor of Safety (F)
F = S/τ where: S is the shear strength, and τ is the equilibrium shear

stress
- A number of slip surfaces must be assumed, and factor of safety “F” is

calculated for each to identify the critical slip surface with minimum “F”
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Analysis of Embankment in PLAXIS 2D
Example :
- Assume sand layer is fixed base (zero deformations) and start

drawing the problem on plaxis from center of the embankment
using plain strain model
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Example :
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Example :
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Example :
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Example :
Calculation Phases :
First stage: first sand layer – time interval 5days
Second stage: No geometry change – time interval 200days
Third stage: second sand layer – time interval 200days
Fourth stage: min. pore pressure
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Example :
Output :
19
Example :
Safety Factor :
20
Example :
Safety Factor :
Calculate F.S for each phase.
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Example :
Safety Factor :
22
Analysis of Embankment in Slide
Steps :
1- Open new file in slide
2- Draw external boundary (add external boundary) from (Boundaries) tap.
3- Draw material boundary (add material boundary) from (Boundaries) tap.
4- Define materials (define materials) from (Properties) tap.
5- Assign materials (Assign properties) from (Properties) tap.
6- Put load on embankment (distributed or line) from (Loading) tap.
7- Add ground water table (if any) (Add Water Table) from (Boundaries) tap.
8- Choose method of analysis (Project settings Methods) from (Analysis) tap.
9- Choose type of failure surface (Surface Options) from (Surfaces) tap.
10- Compute from tap , then show results from tap.
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Slope Limits filtering for valid surfaces.
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Example
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Example
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Example
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Support
Select:Analysis → Project Settings
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Support
Select: Surfaces → Add Grid
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Support
Select: Properties → Define Material
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Support
Select:Analysis→ Computer
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Support
Select: Support→ Add Support Pattern
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Support
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Support
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Support
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Support
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Steps :
1- Open new file in slide
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Steps :
38
Steps :
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Steps :
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Steps :
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Steps :
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Steps :
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Steps :
5- Assign materials (Assign properties) from (Properties) tap.
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Steps :
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Steps :
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Steps :
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Steps :
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Steps :
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Steps :
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Steps :
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Steps :
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Steps :
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Steps :
10- Compute from tap , then show results from tap.
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For Circular Surface :
- Grid Search
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- Grid Search
56
- Grid Search
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- Grid Search
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- Grid Search
Calculate and
show results
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- Slope Search
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- Slope Search
Calculate and
Show results
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- Auto Refine Search
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Auto Refine Search
Calculate and
Show results
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For Non-Circular Surface :
Block Search
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Block Search:
-Add window or polyline or line to check specific area of surface
between to layers.
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Block Search:
Calculate and
Show results
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Path Search (like slope search in circular surface)
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Simulated Annealing
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Simulated Annealing
Calculate and
Show results
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Auto Refine Search
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Auto Refine Search
Calculate and
Show results
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Situation overview for the newly constructed road
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Situation overview for the newly constructed road
 Start a new project and select appropriate General settings according to the
size of the geometry and make sure to use a snap distance of 0.25m.
 Use 15-node elements as basic element type since in this exercise we will
deal with failure behaviour.
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Geometry model
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position of the road surface and soil
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position of the road surface and soil
• Introduce the road surface by using a plate element from (22,16) to (28,16)
• Introduce the traffic load by applying a vertical distributed load of -10 kN/m2 on the road
surface.
76
Soil material set parameters
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Geometry model showing the soil material sets
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Properties of the road surface (plate)
Properties of the soil nails (geogrids)
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Medium coarse generated mesh with renement
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CALCULATION
Initial phase
The initial situation consists of the intact hill side and a phreatic
level representing typical summer conditions as
construction starts in summer. In order to dene the initial situation,
follow these steps:
• Geometry has a non-horizontal soil layering, hence the K0-procedure

cannot be used. Therefore, set the calculation type to Gravity loading
81
CALCULATION
Initial phase
• Dene the Staged construction settings and make sure only the clusters
representing the original hillside are activated. Also make sure all structural
elements (road surface and soil nails) are switched off.
• In Water conditions mode, Enter a phreatic level by two coordinates (-1, 10)
and (56, 10).
• Click the Update button to return to the Calculations program.
82
CALCULATION
Phase 1- Stability prior to the construction
• Before the construction is started the factor of safety is determined of the

initial situation In Water conditions mode, Enter a phreatic level by two
coordinates (-1, 10) and (56, 10).
• One the General tabsheet make sure this calculation phase is Safety.
• Accept all default settings
83
CALCULATION
Phase 2 - Road excavation
 The road excavation should continue from the initial situation and not
from the results of the safety factor determination. Therefore, on the
General tabsheet, set the eld Start from phase on Initial phase.
 Set the Calculation type to Plastic of loading type Staged construction.
 In order to discard the displacements during gravity loading ake sure the
option Reset displacements to zero is selected on the Parameters tabsheet.
84
CALCULATION
Phase 2 - Road excavation
 On the Parameters tabsheet press the Define button to define the phase.
 Switch o the upper part of the road excavations.
 Press the Update to return to the Calculations program.
85
CALCULATION
Phase 3 - Construction of the fill
 This calculation phase is again a Plastic calculation, loading type Staged

construction.
 For all the other settings the defaults should be used.
 Switch on the additional fill
 Open the material set database and assign the reinforced fill material set to
the 4 clusters of the fill area,
86
CALCULATION
Phase 4 - Construction of the road

• This calculation phase again is a Plastic calculation, loading type Staged
construction. Keep all default settings.
• Switch on the plate representing the road by clicking on it. Make sure
the distributed load representing the traffic load remains switched off.
87
CALCULATION
Phase 5 - Apply the traffic load

• Again a Plastic calculation, topmost level of loading type Staged
construction. Keep all default settings.
• Switch on both parts (left and right) of the distributed load representing the
traffic load.The plate representing the road surface remains switched on.
• Return to the Calculations program.
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CALCULATION
Phase 6 - Factor of safety of the road in summer

conditions
 In order to determine the factor of safety directly after constructing the

road use a Safety phase. Keep all default settings.
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CALCULATION
Phase 7 - Winter conditions
o The increase of water level should occur after finishing the road
construction and not after determination of the factor of safety of
this situation. Therefore, on the General tabsheet, set the Start from phase
parameter to Phase 5 Apply the trac load. Keep all other settings to their
default.
o Set the Calculation type to Plastic, loading type Staged construction.
o Go to the Staged construction denition and from there to the Water
conditions mode.
90
CALCULATION
Phase 7 - Winter conditions
o Select the Phreatic level button and draw a new phreatic line from (-1,20) to (5,20) and
further to (20,10) and (56,10).
o If there is no closed flow boundary yet on the bottom of the geometry (indicated with
a thick black line) then select the Closed boundary button and draw a closed flow
boundary at the full bottom of the geometry.
o Select Steady state as groundwater analysis type and press the Update button to return to
the Calculations program.
91
CALCULATION
Phase 8 - Factor of safety of the road in winter conditions
 In order to determine the factor of safety directly in winter conditions create a Safety
phase. Keep all default settings.
 In winter conditions the factor of safety appears to be rather low and therefore it is
decided to improve stability by applying launched soil nails.
92
CALCULATION
Phase 9 - Apply top level soil nails
 The application of the rst level of soil nails should occur after calculating
winter conditions and not after determination of the factor of safety of this
situation. Therefore, on the General tabsheet, set the Star from phase
parameter to Phase 7 Winter conditions. Keep all other settings to their
default.
 Set the Calculation type to Plastic, loading type Staged construction
 Switch on the topmost soil nail,
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CALCULATION
Phase 9 - Apply top level soil nails
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CALCULATION
Phase 10 - Factor of safety in winter conditions with top

level soil nails
Phase 11 - Apply additional soil nails

• The application of the first level of soil nails should occur after
installing the top level of soil nails and not after determination
of the factor of safety of this situation. Therefore, on the
General tabsheet, set the Start from phase parameter to Phase
9 Apply top level soil nails. Keep all other settings to their
default.
95
CALCULATION
Phase 12 - Factor of safety in winter conditions with all soil

nails in-stalled
Load-displacement curves
 Before starting the calculation choose some points for node-
displacement curves. In order to check failure for the phi/c
reduction phases the chosen points should be in the
expected failure zone. As there are several possible slope
instabilities, chose at least points at (15,20), (25,16), (28,16)
and (33,11).
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CALCULATION
For all situations check the failure mechanism. This can be done by for instance
with the graph of incremental shear strains (s) of every Safety phase. This will
show the change in shear strains in the last calculation step, hence when failure
occurred, and will show any shear bands that may have occurred. It becomes
clear that installing the top nails disturbs the failure mechanism. However, it is
only after having installed the lower nails as well that the sliding of the road ll
no longer is the most critical mechanism. Both failure of the slope above the
road and a very large hillside sliding mechanism with considerably higher factor
of safety (almost 1.6) are now the critical mechanisms.
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CALCULATION
Most critical failure mechanism prior to construction
98
CALCULATION
Most critical failure mechanism after construction, summer

conditions.
99
CALCULATION
Most critical failure mechanisme after construction, winter

conditions
100
CALCULATION
Most critical failure mechanisme after installing top soil nails
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CALCULATION
Most critical failure mechanisme after installing all soil nails
102
GEOTEXTILE REINFORCED EMBANKMENT WITH
geogrid
103
GEOTEXTILE REINFORCED EMBANKMENT WITH Geogrid
• Click the Geogrid button to introduce the geotextile (from (4.5, 5.5) to (26.0, 5.5)).
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Geogrid
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Geogrid
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Geogrid
 In the project database select the data type Geogrids and create a new
material set. In this material set, enter 2500 kN/m as stiffness. Note that this
is the stiffness in extension.
 In compression no stiffness is used.
 Mesh generation
From the Mesh menu select the option Global coarseness. In the window that
appears, set the mesh coarseness to Medium and click on the Generate
button, which will present the following FE mesh composed of 15-node
elements.
107
Geogrid
 Mesh generation
 Select the clay layer (this consists of two clusters, see also hint) and press
Refine cluster from the Mesh menu. This will result in a refinement in the
clay layer that will be needed for the consolidation analysis.
108
Geogrid
 Initial conditions
• Select the initial phase in the phase list and then press the Define button on
the Parameters tabsheet in order to define the initial phase. The input
window now opens in Staged Construction mode.
Deselect all material clusters and geotextile elements that are not present at
the start of the analysis. As we want to model the entire construction
sequence from the beginning, switch off:
Geotextile elements
– Material clusters for the fill
– Material cluster for retaining bank
109
Geogrid
 Phase 1: Excavation of the ditch and construction of the retaining

bank
 This calculation phase is a Plastic analysis, with loading type Staged
construction. For all the other settings the defaults should be used. In this
phase:
• Activate the full geotextile
• Construct the retaining bank
• Excavate the ditch (left of the embankment)
Phase 2: First fill
For all the other settings the defaults should be used. In this phase the first
layer of fill must be switched on.
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Geogrid
 Phase 3: Second fill

This calculation phase is again a Plastic analysis, loading type Staged
construction. For all the other settings the defaults should be used. Switch on
the second layer of fill.
Phase 4: Safety factor determination
This calculation phase is a Safety phase. The loading type will be set
automatically. Keep all default settings.
Phase 5: Consolidated construction of the ditch and retaining bank
111
Phase 5: Consolidated construction of the ditch and retaining bank

This phase starts an alternative calculation, so phase 5 should NOT follow on phase 4 as is
the default, but it should follow on the initial phase. To do so, on the General tabsheet set
Start from phase to the Initial phase. This calculation phase is a Consolidation analysis,
loading type Staged construction. We assume that construction of the ditch and retaining
bank will take 3 days. Hence, in the Loading Input box fill in a Time Interval of 3 days.
During this time interval construction will take place, as well as consolidation. For all the
other settings the defaults should be used. In this phase again:
• Switch on the full geotextile
• Construct the retaining bank
• Excavate the ditch (left of the embankment)
112
Geogrid
Phase 6: First fill – consolidated

This calculation phase is also a Consolidation analysis, loading type Staged
construction. We assume that making the hydraulic fill will take 7 days, so the
Time interval should be set on 7 days. For the rest this phase is equal to phase
2; hence the first layer of fill must be switched on.
Phase 7: Second fill – consolidated
This calculation phase is again a Consolidation analysis, loading type Staged
construction. This second fill will take 3 days, so the Time interval should be set
on 3 days. For all the other settings the defaults should be used. In staged
construction, switch on the second layer of fill.
113
Geogrid
Phase 8: Safety factor determination

This calculation phase is a Safety phase. The loading type will be set
automatically. Keep all default settings.
Select points for load-displacement curves
As node for load-displacement curves, select the toe of the embankment and
start the calculation.
Incremental displacements contours, undrained (phase 3)
114
Geogrid
Incremental displacements contours, consolidated (phase 7)
Axial forces in geotextile, undrained (phase 3)
115
The maximum axial forces is approx. 8 kN/m. The maximimum axial force here is only 5-
6 kN/m.
Safety factor curve for reinforced embankment
116
Geogrid
The maximum axial forces is approx. 8 kN/m. The maximimum axial force here
is only 5-6 kN/m.
Safety factor curve for non-reinforced embankment
117
Geogrid
The maximum axial forces is approx. 8 kN/m. The maximimum axial force here
is only 5-6 kN/m.
Safety factor curve for non-reinforced embankment
118

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SLOPE STABILITY

- Changes to soil properties over time.

1- Waco Dam embankment failure (1961):

- Failure during construction.

2- London Road landslide in Oakland, California (1970) :

- Failure after “above average” rainfall for long period

3- Highway 24 landslide near Orinda,

- Failure after “intense” rainfall for short

 Drained condition: changes in loads are slow enough, or remain in

 Short term condition:

- Soils that drain slowly (clays) “undrained analysis” using

 Long term condition :

- Clays, sands, and gravels drained analysis using effective stress

F = S/τ where: S is the shear strength, and τ is the equilibrium shear

- A number of slip surfaces must be assumed, and factor of safety “F” is

- Assume sand layer is fixed base (zero deformations) and start

First stage: first sand layer – time interval 5days

Second stage: No geometry change – time interval 200days

Third stage: second sand layer – time interval 200days

Fourth stage: min. pore pressure

Calculate F.S for each phase.

2- Draw external boundary (add external boundary) from (Boundaries) tap.

10- Compute from tap , then show results from tap.

- Auto Refine Search

Auto Refine Search

Path Search (like slope search in circular surface)

Auto Refine Search

Auto Refine Search

Properties of the soil nails (geogrids)

• Geometry has a non-horizontal soil layering, hence the K0-procedure

Phase 1- Stability prior to the construction

• Before the construction is started the factor of safety is determined of the

Phase 2 - Road excavation

 This calculation phase is again a Plastic calculation, loading type Staged

Phase 4 - Construction of the road

Phase 5 - Apply the traffic load

Phase 6 - Factor of safety of the road in summer

 In order to determine the factor of safety directly after constructing the

Phase 7 - Winter conditions

Phase 7 - Winter conditions

Phase 8 - Factor of safety of the road in winter conditions

Phase 9 - Apply top level soil nails

Phase 9 - Apply top level soil nails

Phase 10 - Factor of safety in winter conditions with top

Phase 11 - Apply additional soil nails

Phase 12 - Factor of safety in winter conditions with all soil

Most critical failure mechanism prior to construction

Most critical failure mechanism after construction, summer

Most critical failure mechanisme after construction, winter

Most critical failure mechanisme after installing top soil nails

Most critical failure mechanisme after installing all soil nails

 Phase 1: Excavation of the ditch and construction of the retaining

 Phase 3: Second fill

Phase 5: Consolidated construction of the ditch and retaining bank

Phase 6: First fill – consolidated

Phase 8: Safety factor determination

Axial forces in geotextile, undrained (phase 3)

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