Swedish Circle

Method
(Method of Slices)
Derivation and
Numerical

Submitted by:
Sameer Sharma
CO20242
Overview
Classification of Finite Slope Analysis methods and a brief
introduction about them
Derivation of formula for Factor of Safety using Swedish Circle
method
Numerical
 • Finite Slope analysis methods can be broadly
classified into 2 methods:
• 1)Total stress method
• 2)Effective stress method
Classificatio
n of Finite • The total stress method can be further classified
Slope into
 Swedish Circle method or Method of Slice
analysis  Friction Circle method, under which comes the
method Taylor's Theory and Taylor's stability number.

The effective stress method consists of Bishop's

Method as a method of analysis under it.
A brief about Friction Circle method
• This method is based on total stress analysis, but it enables the angle of
shearing resistance to be taken into account. It should be noted that some
soils, such as saturated silts and unsaturated clays, do exhibit a Φ value
• In this method the equilibrium of the resultant weight `w', the reaction `p'
due to frictional resistance and the cohesive force `c' are considered.
• In this method, the bigger arc is divided into a number of elementary
arcs which are then analyzed and the factor of safety . w. r. t. cohesion and
friction is evaluated.

• Factor of safety w.r.t Cohesion Where Cu = resiting undrained cohesion

And Cm = mobillized cohesion
Friction circle method
 For a soil having c- Φ strength parameters, the shear
strength at different points on the slip surface varies
according to the value or the effective normal stress at
those points.
The analysis of stability in such a situation is carried out by
Swedish the method of slices which was first introduced by Fellenius
(1926) and is also known as the Swedish Circle method.

Circle ln this method, the Soil mass above the assumed slip circle

Method is divided into a number of vertical slices of equal width In

case of homogenous soils.

The number of slices may vary from 6 to 12 of unit

thickness, when hand computations are to be used.
Forces considered for the equilibrium of
the vertical slice
These slices are considered in equilibrium under the following forces
1) Weight of each slice (W)
The weight acts vertically downwards and passes through the center of
gravity of the soil mass.
It is found by using the formula γbh
Where γ is the unit weight of the soil mass, b is the width of the slice
and h is the height of the middle ordinate of the slice
• 2) Cohesive forces ( C )
• This force acts along the curved surface in the direction of probable
movement of the wedge in order to resist the movement.
• 3) Reaction force ( R )
• It acts at an angle Φ to the normal
• 4) Reaction of two vertical sides of the slice due to adjacent slices.
Since they are equal and opposite, they cancel out each other and we
do not consider them to affect the stability of slice.
Derivation of the formula for Factor of Safety using the Swedish circle
method or Method of Slices

FORMULA TO BE DERIVED :
F.O.S = Σ(CΔL)+Σ(W cosα tanΦ)
Σ(W sin α)
Numerical

• Q. The figure a trial slipe

surface through a soil mass
(c = 20 kN /m2, ϕ=30°,
γ=20 kN/m3). Find the
factor of safety using
Swedish circle method.