CE 343

Geotechnical Engineering II

Department of Civil Engineering

 Slope Stability

 A slope in a homogeneous soil is shown in Fig. 11a.

 The shear strength of soil,

𝝉𝒇 = 𝒄′ + 𝝈′ 𝒕𝒂𝒏 ∅′

 The pore water pressure is assumed to be zero.

 𝑨𝑪 is a trial circular arc that passes through the toe of the

slope and 𝑶 is the center of the circle.

 Weight of soil wedge 𝑨𝑩𝑪

𝑾 = (𝑨𝒓𝒆𝒂 𝒐𝒇 𝑨𝑩𝑪) (𝜸)

 Slope Stability

(a)

Figure 11
Stability Analysis of Slope in homogeneous 𝒄′ − ∅′ soil
 Slope Stability

 For equilibrium, the following other forces are acting on the

wedge:

𝑪𝒅 − resultant of the cohesive force that is equal to the

cohesion per unit area developed times the length of the chord
𝑨𝑪.
𝑪𝒅 = 𝒄′𝒅 𝑨𝑪 (50)
𝑪𝒅 acts in a direction parallel to the chord 𝑨𝑪 (Fig. 11b) and at a
distance 𝒂 from the center of the circle 𝑶 such that-
𝑪𝒅 𝒂 = 𝒄′𝒅 𝑨𝑪 𝒓
or
𝒄′𝒅 𝑨𝑪 𝒓 𝒄′𝒅 𝑨𝑪 𝒓 𝑨𝑪
𝒂= = = 𝒓 (51)
𝑪𝒅 𝒄′𝒅 𝑨𝑪 𝑨𝑪
 Slope Stability

(b) (c)

Figure 11
Stability Analysis of Slope in homogeneous 𝒄′ − ∅′ soil
 Slope Stability

𝑭 − resultant of the normal and frictional forces along the

surface of sliding.

For equilibrium, the line of action of 𝑭 will pass through the

point of intersection of the line of action of 𝑾 and 𝑪𝒅.
 Slope Stability

 Now, if we assume that full friction is mobilized (∅′𝒅 =

∅′ 𝐨𝐫 𝑭∅′ = 𝟏), the line of action of 𝑭 will make an angle of
∅′ with a normal to the arc and will thus be a tangent to a
circle with its center at 𝑶 and having a radius of 𝒓 𝐬𝐢𝐧 ∅′ .

 This circle is called the friction circle.

 Actually, the radius of friction circle is a little larger than

𝒓 𝐬𝐢𝐧 ∅′
 Slope Stability

(a)

Figure 11
Stability Analysis of Slope in homogeneous 𝒄′ − ∅′ soil
 Slope Stability

 Because the directions of 𝑾, 𝑪𝒅 and 𝑭 are known and the

magnitude of 𝑾 is known, a force polygon, as shown in Fig.
11c can be plotted.

 The magnitude of 𝑪𝒅 can be determined from the force

polygon.

So,
𝑪𝒅
Cohesion per unit area developed, 𝒄′𝒅 =
𝑨𝑪
 Slope Stability

 Several trials must be made to obtain the most critical sliding

surface that is the maximum developed cohesion.

 The maximum cohesion developed along the critical surface

can be expressed as,

𝒄′𝒅 = 𝜸𝑯 𝒇 𝜶, 𝜷, 𝜽, ∅′ (52)
 Slope Stability

 For critical equilibrium – that is , 𝑭𝒄′ = 𝑭∅′ = 𝑭𝒔 = 𝟏, we can

substitute 𝑯 = 𝑯𝒄𝒓 and 𝒄′𝒅 = 𝒄′ into Eq. 52 and write,

𝒄′ = 𝜸𝑯𝒄𝒓 𝒇 𝜶, 𝜷, 𝜽, ∅′

Or

𝒄′
= 𝒇 𝜶, 𝜷, 𝜽, ∅′ = 𝒎 (53)
𝜸𝑯𝒄𝒓

Where, 𝑚 = 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑏𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟

 The values of 𝒎 for various values of ∅′ and 𝜷 are given in Fig.

12.
Slope Stability

Figure 12
Plot of Stability Number
with Slope Angle
(after Taylor, 1937)
 Slope Stability

EXAMPLE 05
Find the critical height of a slope with 𝜷 = 𝟒𝟓° to be constructed
with a soil having ∅′ = 𝟐𝟎° and 𝒄′ = 𝟏𝟓 𝒌𝑵/𝒎𝟐 . The unit
weight of the compacted soil will be 𝜸 = 𝟏𝟕 𝒌𝑵/𝒎𝟑 .

SOLUTION
From Fig. 12, for 𝜷 = 𝟒𝟓° and ∅′ = 𝟐𝟎°; 𝒎 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟔𝟐
So,
𝑐′
𝑚=
𝛾𝐻𝑐𝑟
Or
𝑐′ 15
𝐻𝑐𝑟 = = = 𝟏𝟒. 𝟐 𝒎
𝛾𝑚 17 × 0.062
Slope Stability
 Slope Stability

EXAMPLE 06
A slope is shown in Fig. 13a. Determine the factor of safety with
respect to strength.

Figure 13a
Example 06
 Slope Stability

EXAMPLE 06 : SOLUTION
If we assume that full friction is mobilized, then,

From Fig. 12, for 𝜷 = 𝟑𝟎° and ∅′𝒅 = ∅′ = 𝟐𝟎°; 𝒎 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟐𝟓

𝑐𝑑′ = 𝑚𝛾𝐻 = 0.025 × 16 × 12 = 4.8 𝑘𝑁/𝑚2

Thus,
𝑡𝑎𝑛 ∅′ 𝑡𝑎𝑛 20
𝐹∅′ = ′ = =𝟏
𝑡𝑎𝑛 ∅𝑑 𝑡𝑎𝑛 20
And
𝑐′ 20
𝐹𝑐 ′ = ′ = = 𝟒. 𝟏𝟕
𝑐𝑑 4.8
Slope Stability
 Slope Stability

EXAMPLE 06 : SOLUTION
Since 𝐹𝑐 ′ ≠ 𝐹∅′ , this is not the factor of safety with respect to
strength. So, another trial is needed.

Let, ∅′𝒅 = 𝟏𝟓°

From Fig. 12, for 𝜷 = 𝟑𝟎° and ∅′𝒅 = 𝟏𝟓°; 𝒎 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟒𝟔

𝑐𝑑′ = 𝑚𝛾𝐻 = 0.046 × 16 × 12 = 8.83 𝑘𝑁/𝑚2

𝑡𝑎𝑛 ∅′ 𝑡𝑎𝑛 20
𝐹∅′ = ′ = = 𝟏. 𝟑𝟔
𝑡𝑎𝑛 ∅𝑑 𝑡𝑎𝑛 15
And
𝑐′ 20
𝐹𝑐 ′ = ′ = = 𝟐. 𝟐𝟔
𝑐𝑑 8.83
Slope Stability
 Slope Stability

EXAMPLE 06 : SOLUTION
Similar calculations of 𝑭∅′ and 𝑭𝒄′ for various assumed values of
∅′𝒅 can be made as shown in the following table.
𝒄′𝒅
∅′𝒅 𝒕𝒂𝒏 ∅′𝒅 𝑭∅′ 𝒎 𝑭𝒄 ′
(𝒌𝑵/𝒎𝟐 )
20 0.364 1.00 0.025 4.80 4.17
15 0.268 1.36 0.046 8.83 2.26
10 0.176 2.07 0.075 14.40 1.39
5 0.0875 4.16 0.110 21.12 0.95

The values of 𝑭∅′ have been plotted against their corresponding

values of 𝑭𝒄′ in Fig. 13b from which we get
𝑭∅′ = 𝑭𝒄′ = 𝑭𝒔 = 𝟏. 𝟔𝟖
Slope Stability

Figure 13b
Example 06