Tutorial: Slope Stability
By: Dr. Hjh. Siti Noor Linda Bt. Hj. Taib
Problem 1: Infinite Slope
For the slope shown in
figure:
a) Find the height, H, for
critical equilibrium.
Given β = 20.
b) If H =3 m, what is the
factor of safety of the
slope against sliding
(Fs) along the soil-rock
interface?
c) Find H that will have a
factor of safety of 1.5
against sliding along
the soil-rock interface.
a. H cr
c' 1
cos 2 (tan tan ' )
9.6 1
H cr 7.2m
15.7 cos 20(tan 20 tan15)
2
b. c' tan ' 9.6 tan15
Fs
H cos tan tan 15.7(3) cos (20) tan(20) tan 20
2 2
1.37
c' tan ' 9.6 tan15
1.5
c. H cos tan tan 15.7( H ) cos (20) tan(20) tan 20
2 2
H 2.50m
Problem 2: Infinite Slope with Seepage
If there were seepage
through the soil, and the
ground water table
coincided with the
ground surface, what is
Fs ? Use H
=8m,sat=1900kg/m3
and =20.
Problem 3: Finite Slope (Mass
Procedure)
A cut slope is to be made
in clay. Given cu = 24
kN/m2 (=0 condition) and
= 17.3 kN/m3. The slope
makes an angle of 56
with the horizontal.
a) Determine the
maximum depth up to
which the cut could be
made. Assume that the
critical surface for sliding
is circularly cylindrical.
b) What will be the nature
of the critical circle (that
is, toe, slope or
midpoint)?
• Using m or stability number chart
• For of 56 , stability number m is 0.184
cd 24
a. H cr 7.54m
m 17.3(0.184)
b. Toe circle.
Location of
center - = 33
and =75
Problem 4: Finite Slope (Mass
Procedure)
For the slope shown, find the safety factor
against sliding for the trial surface AC?
• Use stability number, m method – m = 0.170
cd cd
m 0.170 ;
H (17.6)(6.1)
cd 18.25kPa
38.3
Fs 2.1
18.46
• The safety factor based on stability number m
is according to the slip surface provided by the
method.
• Let’s find safety factor according to the given
failure surface.
• Find centroid of the slipping mass.
cu La r
Fs
Wd
cu 38.3kPa
66
La 2 (11m)( ) 12.67m
360
W 27 27m 2 (17.6kN / m 3 ) 475.2kN / m
d 4.8m
(38.3)(12.67)(11)
Fs 2.34
(475.2)(4.8)
Problem 5: Finite Slope (Mass
Procedure, =0 method )
A 45 slope is excavated to a depth of 8 m in a
deep layer of saturated clay of unit weight
19kN/m3, the shear strength parameters are
cu=65kN/m2, and u=0. Determine the factor of
safety. Cross sectional area abcd is 70m2.
Weight of the slipping soil mass is 70 x 19 =
1330kN/m.
Centroid of soil to O is 4.5m.
Problem 6: Finite Slope (Bishop-
Morgenstern)
From Bishop and Morgenstern,
Fs = m’-n’ru
Refer to tables for values of m’ and n’ for various
combinations of c’/H, D, ’ and .
For this problem, c’/H =20/(17.5)(15)=0.076;
’=20, =20 and ru =0.5.
Obtain m’ and n’ for toe circles, D = 1, 1.25 and
1.5.
Go to table of c’/H = 0.075, slope of 3:1 (close
to =20 )
D m’ n‘ Fs
Toe Circle 2.055 1.516 1.297
1.00 2.141 1.443 1.4195
1.25 2.071 1.543 1.2995
1.5 2.199 1.728 1.335
The required Fs is the smallest value in the
table. Fs is 1.297 with slip surface passing the
toe.
Problem 7: Finite Slope (Slice
Method)
a) Using the ordinary slice method, determine the factor of
safety for stability of a slope and potential rotational failure
mass identified by the following description:
Slope inclination is 2 horizontal to 1 vertical; surface is level
at top of slope
Trial failure arc center of rotation is 35 m above slope
midpoint; arc passes through toe of slope
Slope height is 25m
Soils are uniform to great depth (drained shear tests
indicate ’=15, c’=15kPa, =17kN/m3; water table is very
deep
Use 5 slices – equal in width
• Sketch the problem
• Divide the slipping mass into equal width and
label the slice
e
d
c
b
a
• Ordinary Slice Method equation is
n p
(c' L n Wn cos n tan ' )
Fs n 1
n p
W
n 1
n sin n
bn
Where Ln ;bn = width of the nth slice.
cos n
• Prepare a table in to calculate Factor of Safety
Slice Area Weight tan c’ b(m sec cos sin c’bsec Wcos Wsin
(m2) (kN/m) (kPa) ) tan
a 96.2 1635.4 0.268 15 14.8 ?
b 255.3 4340.1 0.268 15 14.8 ?
c 344.1 5849.7 0.268 15 14.8 ?
d 337.2 5732.4 0.268 15 14.8 ?
e 140.6 2390.2 0.268 15 14.8 ?
Find , so we need to go back to the sketch
to obtain the values for each slice.
Slice Area Weight tan c’ b sec cos sin c’bsec Wcos Wsin
(m2) (kN/m) (kPa) (m) tan
a 96.2 1635.4 0.268 15 14.8 -19 1.058 0.946 -0.326 234.792 414.409 -532.4
b 255.3 4340.1 0.268 15 14.8 -3.5 1.002 0.998 -0.061 222.415 1160.977 -265.0
c 344.1 5849.7 0.268 15 14.8 13.5 1.028 0.972 0.233 228.308 1524.403 1365.6
d 337.2 5732.4 0.268 15 14.8 30 1.155 0.866 0.5 256.344 1330.460 2866.2
e 140.6 2390.2 0.268 15 14.8 51 1.589 0.629 0.777 352.761 403.126 1857.5
SUM: 1294.620 4833.376 5291.929
n p
(c' L n Wn cos n tan ' )
1294.620 4833.376
Fs n 1
n p
1.16
5291.929
W
n 1
n sin n
Problem 8: Finite Slope (Slice
Method)
Calculate the Factor of Safety for the
conditions in Problem 7 but assuming a fully
submerged slope (water level even with the
top of the slope). Perform this as an individual
assignment.
n p
[c' Ln (Wn cos n Ln ) tan ' ]
Fs n 1
n p
; where w hw
W
n 1
n sin n
