LANDSLIDE MODELING AND MITIGATION STRATEGIES

2023/2024

REPORT ON CASE 3 – EARTH DAM

GROUP -2

CEREN KALE

MERT SEPETOGLU

DANA KARIMI KORDESTANI

PROF. DOMENICO GIOFFRE

1- INTRODUCTION

For case 3 the slope stability analysis is performed by using the Slide 2 program which is
given by the Rock science. While performing the assessment the tasks that are considered are
as following:
- Selection of presentative slope section and geotechnical parameters definition
- 2D static slope stability analysis
- Influence of water level in static analysis of earth dam.

Figure 1: Study case - earth dam

Slope stability is important in the design and construction of earth dam because
exposed to dangerous conditions for the end of construction that mean no water level in
reservoir (dry condition for upstream side slope) and rapid drawdown condition when the
removal upstream water pressure that supported the slope for earth dam, it causes a danger to
the upstream slope.
There are many methods for slope stability analysis to assessment factor of safety such as
(limit equilibrium and Finite element) methods by computer software, the limit equilibrium
including different methods (Ordinary, Bishop, Janbu, Morgenstern-price and Spencer) these
methods applying the computer program SLOPE/W is applied to define the potential slip
surface and calculate the factor of safety of homogenous earth dam under change water level
condition and rapid draw down for the reservoir with time. The minimum required of factor
of safety for earth dams equal (1.3) for upstream slope.

2- METHODOLOGY
Limit equilibrium methods are important in slopes stability analyses. These methods
calculate the factor of safety (F) by dividing a potential sliding mass into several vertical
slices.

2.1 Project Steps

As a first step the DXF file provided by professor have been imported to the program that
will be used, which is Slide 2.

Figure 2: Importing the dxf file to the program that will be used
As a second step we implemented the geotechnical data that we were given in the table
below. In different sections of the earth dam we have different materials such as sandy silt,
sandy gravel, silty clay etc. By using the given properties, we implemented the unit weights,
friction angles, cohesion values for each of the materials.
 Figure 3: Material properties

Figure 4: Defining material properties

After implementing the material properties, we assigned the sections inside the places where
we have the same material in the model.
 Figure 5: Assign the materials inside the model
So, as a summary for the methodology,
2D limit equilibrium analysis should be performed in order to assess stability. Calculations
should be performed using the code SLIDE2.
The analyses comprise the following steps:

✓ Model generation,

✓ Slip Surfaces generation,

✓ Analysis with Bishop simplified and Janbu simplified methods (waterlevel1)

✓ Analysis with Bishop simplified and Janbu simplified methods (waterlevel2)

3- RESULTS
In this study, the factor of safety calculates to the upstream slope of earth dam by
(Morgenstern-price, Spencer, Bishop, Janbu) and finite element method (FEM). The
minimum value factor of safety (F) (critical slip surface) for the
upstream slope with various parameters such as the soil strength parameters (cohesion, angle
of internal friction and unite weight of soil) are study and the values of (F) calculated.
3.1- SCENARIO 1 (WATER LEVEL 1)
3.1.1 LEFT TO RIGHT ANALYSIS

Figure 6: Slope stability analysis from left to right for water level 1
3.1.2 RIGHT TO LEFT ANALYSIS

Figure 7: Slope stability analysis from right to left for water level 1
3.2 SCENARIO 2 (WATER LEVEL 2)
3.2.1 LEFT TO RIGHT ANALYSIS

Figure 8: Slope stability analysis from left to right for water level 2
3.2.2 RIGHT TO LEFT ANALYSIS

Figure 9: Slope stability analysis from right to left for water level 2
In the project settings sections, we have different options for the methods that we can use. In
this case we used Bishop simplified, Morgenstern- Price, Janbu simplified, Janbu corrected
and Spencer methods.

Figure 10: Methods that are used for analysis

In this study, slope stability analysis methods were first used. But in left to right analyses, FS
results were taken incorrectly. To solve this problem, the program switched to steady state
ground water mode. To achieve this, the term hydraulic conductivity has been added for all
materials. Afterwards, the water level was assigned.
CASE 3 BISHOP MORGENSTERN JANBU SPENCER
SIMPLIFIED PRICE SIMPLIFIED
Water level 1 2.11 2.11 2.11 2.12
right to left
Water level 1 1.42 1.42 1.41 1.42
left to right
Water level 2 1.98 1.98 1.88 1.98
right to left
Water level 2 1.43 1.43 1.42 1.43
left to right

Table 1 : Results of the analysis

4- CONCLUSION

From the results of this study we placed the following conclusion:

The study of slope stability is important in the design and construction of the earth dams
under influence of earthquake and some surcharge loads. Some factors affect
the slope stability for the earth dam such as change the water level in the reservoir or rapid
drawdown of the water level. In the present study, limit equilibrium methods and finite
element method have been used to calculate the factor of safety of earth dam. The main
objective is studying the influence the soil strength parameters including cohesion, angle of
internal friction and unit weight of soil on the values of factor of safety of the upstream slope
for earth dam.