UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE

DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION AND CIVIL ENGINEERING

CE419-GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II ASSIGNMENT 1-SLOPE STABILITY

Due date: 28 May 2021

Question 1
An embankment is constructed at an angle of 40 o to the horizontal, a potential failure surface
develops with a radius of 9m passing through the toe of the slope and a point 3m away on the
top ground from the edge of the embankment. The depth of the embankment is 6m and the
shear strength parameters are c=12 kN/m2 and Φ=29o. Using the method of slices (5 slices),
determine the factor of safety, for the trial failure surface. The unit weight of the soil is 20
kN/m3. [10 marks]

Question 2
Figure 1QA shows a section through a site in which the compacted fill is laid to a depth of
2.45m and then an embankment 8m high is placed on top. The underlying soil is a hard shale.
At the end of construction, the properties of the compacted fill are   18.62kN / m3 ,
c=23kN/m2, and Φ=25 o. The pore pressure ratio ru=0.3. calculate the factor of safety for the
slip circle shown. Comment on the results obtained. Use the Swedish method of slices. Divide
the soil into 8 slices. [15 marks]

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FIGURE 1QA