Slope stability analysis based on the direct comparison of driving forces and resisting forces

Abstract

SUMMARYThe paper disproves a commonly accepted concept that the slope stability problem cannot be correctly solved without invoking the auxiliary static assumptions. The given slope stability analysis is based on the direct comparison of the driving force tending to induce a movement of the slope mass and the mobilized resisting force. A problem of separating the driving forces from the resisting forces is resolved by subdividing an area of the assumed slide mass into two segments wherein the driving forces dominate over the resisting forces at the first segment and vice versa at the other. The slope stability is assessed by the stability index that is equal to a ratio between the resisting forces and driving forces. The stability problem is reduced to determining and analyzing a distribution of the interslice force along the slip line length. A system of recurrence dependencies involving the components of the interslice force and the vertical coordinates of the thrust line is derived from the complete system of the slice equilibrium equations (equilibrium of the horizontal and vertical forces and the force moment equilibrium). This system falls into two subsystems of relations one of which involves only the components of the interslice force. From this it follows that a distribution of the interslice force does not depend on the thrust line position. The slope safety factor regulated by the design manuals for mobilizing the soil shear strength along the slip line is prescribed in advance. A computer program is developed for solving the governing recurrence relations and computing the slope stability index. The applicability of the program is confirmed by solving the problem on a calculation of the critical safety factor for three shapes of the slip line (a circular arc, and a cubic and quadratic parabola) and the stability problem of the real inhomogeneous slope consisting of four layers.

Analysis of slope stability hazards along hilly highways: Ain Sukhna- Zafarana highway, North Galala Plateau, Eastern Desert, Egypt

“…The main objective of slope stabilization is to increase the resistance forces against the driving forces which in turn increases the FS value of cut slopes [38] . Protection elements are used to protect the final cut slope from the erosion possesses which act as trigger factors for local slope failures and rockfalls [13] .…”

Debris slope stability analysis using three-dimensional finite element method based on maximum shear stress theory

“…The limit equilibrium methods have widely been used to analyze slope stability, but in the traditional limit equilibrium methods there are many assumptions to simplify the analysis and calculation (Cai and Ugai 2003). For example, sliding plane is generally assumed as straight line, polyline, circle arc, etc., without regard to the stress-strain relationships of soils or rocks (Alexander 2009). Also, the distribution of stress and deformation cannot be acquired by traditional limit equilibrium methods.…”

Stability Analysis of Partially Submerged Landslide with the Consideration of the Relationship between Porewater Pressure and Seepage Force

“…Zhou et al [26] used the limiting equilibrium method to calculate the lateral force acting on the piles and considered the effect of the porewater pressure on the lateral forces of stabilizing piles in terms of the seepage force and the buoyant weight. Some used the porewater pressure on the base of the landslide [24,25,[27][28][29], some others allowed for boundary water pressures of slices [30], and others accounted for the seepage pressure [26,31,32]. Therefore, it is very easy to confuse one force with another.…”