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Application of Artificial Neural Networks For Slope Stability Analysis in Geotechnical Practice
Application of Artificial Neural Networks For Slope Stability Analysis in Geotechnical Practice
,(((
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height. As input units authors use the previously obtained TABLE I: INPUT-OUTPUT FACTORS FOR ANN MODEL
results of stability analyzes using Spencer’s method and Case Output factor=f (input factors)
No. Fs=f(H, ȕ, Ȗ, c, ij, ru, d/H)
experimental design [20].
1 1.43 = f(14, 14, 19.5, 9, 13, 0, 2)
The paper is organized as follows. Brief description of 2 3.80 = f(14,14, 19.5, 90, 13, 0, 2)
the applied methods is given in Section 2. Section 3 is 3 2.22 = f(14, 14, 19.5, 9, 22, 0, 2)
devoted to the results of the analysis, including the 4 4.85 = f(14, 14, 19.5, 90, 22, 0, 2)
5 0.86 = f(14, 14, 19.5, 9, 13, 0.5, 2)
definition of the values of input factors, development of 6 3.03 = f(14, 14, 19.5, 90, 13, 0.5, 2)
ANN model, and the internal and external verification of 7 1.25 = f(14, 14, 19.5, 9, 22, 0.5, 2)
the model accuracy. Discussion and conclusion are given 8 3.58 = f(14, 14, 19.5, 90, 22, 0.5, 2)
9 11.91 = f(3, 14, 19.5, 49.5, 17.5, 0, 1)
in Section 5, together with suggestions for further 10 2.78 = f(25, 14, 19.5, 49.5, 17.5, 0, 1)
research. 11 11.02 = f(3, 14, 19.5, 49.5, 17.5, 0.5, 1)
12 2.01 = f(25, 14, 19.5, 49.5, 17.5, 0.5, 1)
II. APPLIED METHODS 13 7.89 = f(3, 14, 19.5, 49.5, 17.5, 0, 3)
In order to develop a reliable model for estimation of 14 2.51 = f(25, 14, 19.5, 49.5, 17.5, 0, 3)
15 6.60 = f(3, 14, 19.5, 49.5, 17.5, 0.5, 3)
earth slope stability, authors engage several methods. 16 1.66 = f(25, 14, 19.5, 49.5, 17.5, 0.5, 3)
Starting ranges of values for the input parameters (slope 17 10.52 = f(14, 3, 19.5, 49.5, 13, 0.25, 1)
height H and slope inclination ȕ, unit mass Ȗ, cohesion c, 18 2.06 = f(14, 25, 19.5, 49.5, 13, 0.25, 1)
19 13.23 = f(14, 3, 19.5, 49.5, 22, 0.25, 1)
angle of internal friction ij, pore pressure coefficient ru 20 2.43 = f(14, 25, 19.5, 49.5, 22, 0.25, 1)
and bedrock depth d) are chosen as representative values 21 5.97 = f(14, 3, 19.5, 49.5, 13, 0.25, 3)
for clay-marl deposits in Belgrade [20]. Within the 22 1.85 = f(14, 25, 19.5, 49.5, 13, 0.25, 3)
23 8.71 = f(14, 3, 19.5, 49.5, 22, 0.25, 3)
defined starting intervals different combinations of input 24 2.27 = f(14, 25, 19.5, 49.5, 22, 0.25, 3)
parameters are established using the method of 25 7.83 = f(3, 3, 19.5, 9, 17.5, 0.25, 2)
experimental design, with the final aim to uniformly 26 5.06 = f(25, 3, 19.5, 9, 17.5, 0.25, 2)
27 1.87 = f(3, 25, 19.5, 9, 17.5, 0.25, 2)
cover the examined parameter space, so that developed 28 0.76 = f(25, 25, 19.5, 9, 17.5, 0.25, 2)
model could provide reliable and statistically significant 29 34.25 = f(3, 3, 19.5, 90, 17.5, 0.25, 2)
responses. For each combination of input parameters, 30 8.38 = f(25, 3, 19.5, 90, 17.5, 0.25, 2)
slope safety factor is calculated using Spencer's method of 31 10.55 = f(3, 25, 19.5, 90, 17.5, 0.25, 2)
32 2.09 = f(25, 25, 19.5, 90, 17.5, 0.25, 2)
slices, which is considered to be the simplest method 33 1.61 = f(14, 14, 16, 9, 17.5, 0.25, 1)
which satisfies all the equlibrium equations of forces and 34 1.43 = f(14, 14, 23, 9, 17.5, 0.25, 1)
moments [21]. These values of safety factors, together 35 6.10 = f(14, 14, 16, 90, 17.5, 0.25, 1)
36 4.66 = f(14, 14, 23, 90, 17.5, 0.25, 1)
with corresponding combinations of parameter values are 37 1.51 = f(14, 14, 16, 9, 17.5, 0.25, 3)
used for creating the adequate estimation model by 38 1.38 = f(14, 14, 23, 9, 17.5, 0.25, 3)
applying mutlilayer feed-forward neural network with 39 4.34 = f(14, 14, 16, 90, 17.5, 0.25, 3)
40 3.47 = f(14, 14, 23, 90, 17.5, 0.25, 3)
Levenberg-Marquardt learning algorithm, and 60% of 41 8.23 = f(3, 14, 16, 49.5, 13, 0.25, 2)
data for training, 15% for validation and 25% for testing. 42 1.93 = f(25, 14, 16, 49.5, 13, 0.25, 2)
Results obtained are then compared with the results of 43 6.08 = f(3, 14, 23, 49.5, 13, 0.25, 2)
44 1.63 = f(25, 14, 23, 49.5, 13, 0.25, 2)
Spencer's method for values of input factors different 45 9.11 = f(3, 14, 16, 49.5, 22, 0.25, 2)
from those used for model derivation, and using the 46 2.62 = f(25, 14, 16, 49.5, 22, 0.25, 2)
existing mathematical relation defined for the similar 47 6.96 = f(3, 14, 23, 49.5, 22, 0.25, 2)
48 2.29 = f(25, 14, 23, 49.5, 22, 0.25, 2)
range of input values as in the present case. 49 10.73 = f(14, 3, 16, 49.5, 17.5, 0, 2)
50 2.64 = f(14, 25, 16, 49.5, 17.5, 0, 2)
III. RESULTS 51 9.34 = f(14, 3, 23, 49.5, 17.5, 0, 2)
52 2.14 = f(14, 25, 23, 49.5, 17.5, 0, 2)
A. Definition of input factor values 53 7.52 = f(14, 3, 16, 49.5, 17.5, 0.5, 2)
For starting intervals of the chosen input parameters, 54 2.02 = f(14, 25, 16, 49.5, 17.5, 0.5, 2)
55 6.20 = f(14, 3, 23, 49.5, 17.5, 0.5, 2)
authors chose the most commonly determined values for 56 1.57 = f(14, 25, 23, 49.5, 17.5, 0.5, 2)
clay-marl deposits in Belgrade [20]: 57 2.74 = f(14, 14, 19.5, 49.5, 17.5, 0.25, 2)
Slope height H (m): 3-25
Slope inclination ȕ (0): 3-25 B. Neural network model
Unit mass Ȗ (kN/m3): 16-23 Following the suggestion of Rumelhart et al. [22],
Cohesion c (kPa): 9-90 Lippmann [23] and Sonmez et al. [24] one hidden layer
Friction angle ij (0): 13-22 was chosen in present study, while authors chose 14
Pore pressure coefficient ru: 0-0.5 hidden nodes as suggested by Kannellopoulas and
Bedrock depth d/H: 1-3 Wilkinson [25], who proposed that number of hidden
Using the predetermined ranges from Table I, 57 nodes should be two time larger than the number of input
factors.
different combinations of input factors were derived using
The initial weights were set in the range [-1.0;1.0]. In
experimental design, so as to uniformly cover the
all the examined cases, the total data set has been divided
examined parameter space. For these combinations, slope as following: 60% for training (34 recordings), 15% for
safety factor is calculated using Spencer’s method of validation (9 recordings) and 25% for testing (14
slices [20]. These data are used for derivation of neural recordings), which corresponds well with the suggestion
network model (Table I).
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of Nelson and Illingworth [26] who supported the idea of
20-30% of data for testing.
Considering different units of input factors, their
scaling was necessary, and it was performed in the
following way:
scaled value =
(max.value − unscaled value) (1)
(max.value − min.value)
In that way, numerical values of the analyzed
parameter were normalized in the range of [0,1].
In present paper, in order to create an adequate ANN
model for estimation of slope stability, based on the
calculated data, a three-layer artificial neural network is
chosen using Levenberg-Marquardt learning algorithm.
This training algorithm is commonly considered as the
fastest method for training moderate-sized feed-forward
neural networks [27], and it is the first choice for solving
the problems of supervised learning, which is the case in
present analysis. A sigmoid function was chosen for the
activation function, as the most common transfer function
implemented in the literature [24].
Fig. 2. Comparison of the scaled values of Fs estimated by
The first task in development of a reliable ANN model
ANN model and Spencer’s method of slices using training set
is to exclude the possibility of overfitting, when the ANN (a), validation set (b) and testing set (c), for ANN model with
model tends to memorize instead of learning the data. In 14 hidden nodes.
order to minimize overfitting, any increase in accuracy
over the training data set should yield an increase in Regarding the properties of residuals, obtained results
accuracy over a data set that the network has not trained indicate that residuals for the testing set represent
on it. As it is clear from Figure 1, the training stopped sequence of independent numbers that follow normal
when the validation error increased for six iterations, distribution, indicated by p-value larger than 0.05 for
which occurred at iteration 3. In present case, the result is Anderson-Darling test (Fig. 3).
reasonable because the final mean-square error is small
(MSE=0.0035), the test set error and the validation set
error have approximately the same properties and no
significant overfitting has occurred by iteration 3 (where
the best validation performance occurs).
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Fs = abs[tanh[0.2698 + [0.2198 − 0.0873 − 0.0541 − 0.3968 of the safety factor for slopes given in Table II are
0.01523 0.0373 0.0823 0.0523 − 0.0539 − 0.0577 − 0.0794 determined using Spencer's method of slices (Table III).
ªª− 2.2090º ª 0.6114 º
«« » « » TABLE II: RANDOM PROPERTIES OF SLOPES FOR VERIFICATION OF
««− 1.6599 » « 0.8545 » THE PROPOSED MODEL (2).
««1.3671 » «− 0.9270»
«« » « » Numerical
««− 1.5765 » « 1.5890 » H ȕ Ȗ c ij
example ru d/H
««− 1.0625 » « 0.2430 » (m) ( 0) (kN/m3) (kPa) ( 0)
«« » « » No.
««− 0.4491» « 0.8155 » 1 7 21 19 12 18 0.22 2.8
««0.2382 » «− 0.5937» 2 21 12 20 64 15 0.45 2.4
0.1400 − 0.1308 0.4213] * tanh«« »+« »*H 3 23 13 21 19 20 0.33 2.2
««0.1988 » « 1.3873 » 4 19 19 20 74 18.5 0.11 1.5
«« » « »
««0.5690 » « 0.6757 » 5 20 11 21.5 66 19 0.35 1.2
««0.7939 » « 0.7992 »
«« » « » TABLE IV: ESTIMATED VALUES OF FS BY PROPOSED MODEL (2)
««1.3082 » «− 0.3300»
««− 2.0140» «− 0.5570» FOR NUMERICAL EXAMPLES IN TABLE III
«« » « » Case Fs1 (Spencer abs(Fs1-
««− 2.3333» «− 0.7445» Fs2 (Eq. 2)
«« » « » No. method) Fs2)
¬¬2.3257 ¼ ¬− 0.6967¼ 1 1.61 1.81 0.20
ª− 0.0264º ª 1.1257 º ª − 1.0605º ª− 0.7625º 2 2.14 2.35 0.21
« 0.6181 » «− 0.5819» «− 0.9076» « 1.4969 »
« » « » « » « » 3 1.62 1.83 0.21
«− 0.8672» « 1.3923 » «− 0.3922» «− 0.2513» 4 2.71 2.88 0.17
« » « » « » « »
« 0.3782 » « 0.6093 » «− 0.8807» «− 0.4539» 5 3.19 2.87 0.32
« 1.7294 » « − 0.0991» « 0.3783 » « 0.2252 »
« » « » « » « » The obtained results indicate high level of prediction
« 0.3662 » « − 0 .4177» « 0.4852 » « − 0.3971»
« 0.3155 » « 1.3440 » « 0.6350 » « 0.2734 » accuracy, with small estimation error (< 0.32) (Table III).
+« »*β + « » *γ + « »*c + « » *ϕ Hence, it is clear that the proposed model (2) enables the
« 1.1775 » «− 0.0447» « − 0.2533» « − 1.0420»
« » « » « » « » estimation of the Fs with high statistical reliability.
« 0.9205 » «− 0.4717» « 0.0182 » « − 1.0765»
« 0.6625 » « 0.9390 » « 0.8478 » « 1.0585 » D. External verification
« » « » « » « »
« − 0 .8920» « 0 .4601 » « − 1 .0809 » « − 1.4191» In order to justify the need for the new estimation
« 0.3764 » « 0.9156 » «− 0.4468» « 0.8833 » model, it is necessary to compare its prediction accuracy
« » « » « » « »
« − 0 .5830» « 1. 1175 » « − 0 . 5372» « 0.3557 » with the existing mathematical expressions. For this
« − 1.8683» « » « 0.5168 » «− 0.3020» purpose, authors analyze the following model:
¬ ¼ ¬ 0.0626 ¼ ¬ ¼ ¬ ¼
1§
ª 0.5287 º ª 0.0410 º Fs =
H© ¹
( )
¨1.406 + 0.039c × csc ϕ ·¸ + 1.25 1 − ru tan ϕ cot β
2
(3)
« 0.0222 » «− 0.0387»
« » « » 1
+ 0.156 sec ϕ + 0.011 csc β
« 0.2647 » « 0.6215 » γ
« » « »
« 0.5175 » « − 0.1071» which was developed by Yang et al. [28], for the same
« 0.3387 » «− 0.7776» input parameters as in present study, except for the
« » « »
« − 1.4711» « 0.8004 » bedrock depth. The range of input parameters used for
« 1.0237 » « − 1.1106» deriving this model is the following: H (3.66-214m), ȕ
+« » * ru + « » * (d / H )]]] (2) (16-530), Ȗ (12-28.44 kN/m3), c (0-150.05kPa), ij (0-450),
«− 0.1130» « 0.0106 »
« » « » ru (0.11-0.5). Hence, analyzed range of input parameters
«− 0.8568» « 0.6820 » partially fall within the range of the model developed in
« 0.8320 » «− 0.3227»
« » « » present study. The range of input values for unit mass Ȗ,
« 0.8745 » «− 0.1042» cohesion c and friction angle ij for the model (2) falls
« 0.8337 » « − 0.0761»
« » « » within the parameter range for existing equation (3),
« 0.5448 » « 0.7526 » while the minimum values of slope height H, slope
«− 0.1986» «− 0.7620» inclination ȕ and pore pressure coefficient ru for model (2)
¬ ¼ ¬ ¼
2 are lower than those for Eq. (3).
where tanh(n ) =
(1+ e−2n ) −1 , H, ȕ, Ȗ, c, ij, r and d/H
u In order to examine the drawbacks/benefits of
implementing the present model (2) over the existing
denote the input data, and Fs stands for the output Equation (3), authors analyze 5 random cases from Table
value (slope safety factor). II. Values of Fs obtained by model (2) are compared with
the results of Spencer’s method and Eq. (3) in Figure 4.
C. Internal verification
In order to further confirm the reliability of the
proposed model (2), its predictive power is tested by
analyzing 5 random samples of slopes with geometrical
characteristics and soil properties, different from those
used for deriving the model (2) (Table III). Exact values
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