UNIVERSITY OF MORATUWA - SRI LANKA

NI. Eng. In Geotechnical Engineering

Examination for Semester 2 - January 2001
PCGE 05 Slope Engineering and Earth Dams
Open book Examination -
Time : 3 hrs.
Extra L5 minutes will be given for reading the paper
Answer four Questions from section A and one Question from Section B

Section A

a ( 1) A site inlow lying area is to be developed for the construction of a playground.

a
Initially a I m thick lateretic fill was placed all over the site. Subsequently. a canal
system was excavated around the site to ensure proper drainage. The canai is to be made
atanan-qleof 30degtothe horizontaltoadepth of 2.0 masshowninFigureQ-l.The
saturated clay layer is of thickness around 5 m and the total strength shear stren_qth
parameters are Cu = 10 kN/m2 and @ u = 0 deg. The effective stress shear strength
parameters of the saturated clay were found to be c/ =0 and Q! =20 deg. The saturated unit
weight of the saturated clay is 17 kNim2.

The fill material

placed had total strength shear strength parameters Cu= 40 kN/m: and
@u=6. The effective stress shear strength parameters for the lateriic fill are; c/= 5 kr\/m2
and d'- 30 de,e. The compacted unit rveight of the fill material is 19 kN/m3.

The short term and the long term stability of the proposed excavation is to be evaluated
tising the Bishop's simplified method. One trial failure surlace to be used in both types of
analysis is given in Figure Q -1. The details of the slices are presented in Table 1. The lvlt
(0) values to be used in the long term analysis for an assumed factor of safety are also
given in Table Q - l.

(a). Prepare the table to evaluate the short term stability of this slope through a total
stress analysis, using the Bishop's simplified method. Compute all the quantities
corresponding to different slices and the other general forces. Write the form of the
Bishops equation to be used in the analysis. Do not compute Mi(O) values. Do not
carry out the analysis.
[ 5 marks ]

(b). Check whether the excavation is safe in the long term, once the soft clay has
consolidated under the weight of the fill and p / has increased to 24 deg. All the
excess pore water pressures have dissipated and the pore water pressures are in
equilibrium with the external water level, which is at the top level of clay. Do only
one iteration starting with the given trial Factor of safety.

[ 7 marks ]

(c). Prepare the table to carry out the analysis in effective stress terms immediately
after the canal had been dewatered. Write only the columns where changes are to
be made.

[ 3 marks]
Q (2) (a) Discr"rss the importance of ;

(i) determination of residual strength in proposing rehabilitation measures fbr a

failed slope
(i i) simulation of field stress paths and stress levels in the laboratory testing for a
proposed excavation in a natural slope
[ 5 marks ]
(b) A 8 m deep excavation is to be done to an angle of 30 de-e to the horizontal. in a
saturated clay where a weathered rock exists at a depth of 12 m. ( Figure Q - 2 )
Using a suitable chart solution find the factor of safety of the slope. Draw the
critical failure surface assuming it to be a mid point circle. The total stress parameters
for the saturated clay are Cu=30 kN/m2, @ o= 0. The saturated unit weight of the clay
is 18 kN/m'.
( you make remove Figure Q -2 from the question paper and attach it to your answer
script)
[ 4 marks ]
(c) The coefficient of variation of the given undrained cohesion value is found to be
78Va. The other parameters such as unit weight and slope geometry can be taken as
deterministic variables. Using the critical failure surface determined in part (b)
above, evaluate the probability of failure for the slope.

( Write an expression for Q,=0 analysis and derive the probability of failure based on
the Factor of Safety)
[ 6 marks ]

Q (3) (a). Natural slope by the side of a highway in the central hill country has shown some
signs of slope movements after a period of heavy prolonged rainfall. A subsurface
investigation revealed the soil profile presented in Figure Q - 3. The shear stren_eth
parameters obtained through appropriate laboratory testing are also given along
with the diagram.

Check the stability of the slope after a period of prolonged heavy rainfall which
has caused the water table to rise as shown in Figure Q -3. You may carry, out the
analysis by Janbu's simplified method using the slices given in Figure Q 3. The
basic properties of the slices are given in Table Q 3.
[ 6 marks ]
(b) Suggest two other superior limit equilibrium methods of analysis that can be used
to solve this problem.
[ 2 marks ]
(c) It
was proposed to prevent failure by lowering the phreatic surface by pumping the
water out through a series of pumping wells when the pore water pressures exceeds
a certain value. Suggest suitable types of piezometers and other monitoring
equipments for the project. Briefly outline your proposed monitoring procedures
and action plan.
[ 4 marks ]
(d) What are the other stabilizing measures that can be used in this project.

[ 3 marks ]
Q (4) Seasonal variation (between dry and wet seasons) of the factor of safety of a slope in the
hill country is to be investigated. The top 10 m of the slope which is at angle of 25 deg to
the horizontal, is made of a residual soil and is underlain by the weathered rock. Soii
matrix suction values rvere monitored using tensiometers during the dry season and the
data obtained are presented in contour form in Figure Q 4.

The representative effective shear strength parameters of the slope material over initial
3m depth were found to be c/:10 kN/m2, 0t : 28 deg and da:20 deg, through
appropriate laboratory testing. The shear strength parameters appear to gradually increase
rvith the depth. The average unit weight of the slope material during the dry season is
found to be around 18 kN/m' and during the wet season the saturated unit weight appear
to have increased up to 19.5 kN/m3.

(a). Evaluate the Factor of Safety of the slope during the dry season considering
shallow translational failure mode at a depth of 2m from the surface.
[4 marks ]
(b). Heavy rainfall that has continued for few weeks has saturated the overburden soil
and the water table has risen to an elevation 0.5 m below the ground surface.
Evaluate the factor of safety of the siope considering a shallow translational failure
mode at a depth of 2 m from the surface, as in part (a).

[3 marks ]

(c). Discuss the potential of vegetation in improving the stability of this siope
[4 marks ]
( d). Prescribe a t-reld test program to identify whether there had been any previous slope
failures in this area.
[4 marks I

Q (5) (a). An earth dam of uniform cross section is to be founded on sound bed rock as
shown in Figure Q 5 -1. The stability of the U/S slope and the DiS slope is to be
evaluated for the stages of steady seepage and sudden draw down.

Consolidated Undrained triaxiai tests were conducted on the specimen of dam

material compacted to the specified density of 19.5 kN/m3 after saturation. The
effective shear strength parameters obtained are ci:10 kN/mz and. Q/:34 deg.

(i) Estimate the factor of safety for the critical slope at the steady seepage state
using an appropriate chart solution. You should assume a reasonable value for
the pore water pressure ratio ru. If you are not happy about the magnitude of the
obtained Factor of safety suggest appropriate modifications to the dam section.
[ 5 marks ]
(ii) Estimate the factor of safety for the critical slope if there is a sudden drop of
water level by 9.0 m in the reservoir.
[3 marks ]
 (b) Outline how you would make use of the Finite Element Method to analyse the
stability of an excavation done in a highly variable soil adjacent to highway, where \
there are other important structures also exist.

[ 4 marks ]
( c ) Suggest appropriate stabilizing measures for the slope problems depicted in
Fi-eure Q 5- (2 ) and Figure Q -5- (3)

[ 3 marks ]

Section B

Q (6). Explain in detail how a " trial embankment with compaction tests " is used to establish
the final construction procedure of a rockfill dam.

[ 15 marks ]

a 0) Discuss in details horv a deep grout curtain is constructed. Answer shall be limited to
the construction procedure only.

[ L5 marks ]
 a'\

l'onr

./ lAtenl;c htl
V. R ku/n;
A+r =

l^rahey
l'om 1

t \-7-
7
Z @
A,, \ AY,
4,, @^Agz
2.ow @ S4e d^J
I

\
I
I
At f = nk*/i I

Frlute 0 - I
Slice e Ax Area Water M(0)
Number deg m m2 block Area long term
m' trial F=1.1
1 -15.5 1.5 41 =9.975 Aw1= 2.34 0.8660 Rad,w of Me lail,lrn far{aa F = *' 5 rn
2 4.5 1.5 A2= 2.625 Aw2=0.96 1.0250
'1.5 A31=0.357,
3
4
q
24.s
48.0
70.0
1.5
0.3
A41=1
A5=0.15
.405,
A 32 =3.018
442 = 1 .O7O t_t
Aw3=0.05

tt
1.0609
0.9396
0.6840

1-qble A - l.
 of tk cn l'r'(al iailute tut $a
te

surll be otu iArT l6c

C wa foit circle )

// // / ,/,/ ././ ./
/
Wo"lAue4-

F,5^re A - 2
 @
?---)
lom ./
@l
,/ ./ @l
-/-6 -l
gt. t6 lcu/n, 6rael\ ct"1
V -/
,l=2
G*ar"l4 t-L*y
, *4i---'
g'=ri'al, // blluvl
ct 2'o

[-r3,ar€ qa, -b
S lice 0 Ax W u n(o)
Number deg m kN/m kN/m2 for
trial F=1.0
1 5 5.6 191 .52 18.06 1.047
2 20 4.4 342.76 32.47 1.026
20 4.2 406.98 JZ.OU 1.026
4 20 482.22 32.10 1.026
5 50 J.O 177.84 2.50 o.720

X3.ble. q - s

..Jo h*fit
. ' 2t hn/^l
I
./ ? ' 16 Ltt/u
a
z2
./
2.ltv t/
€
. . 2'ttl
. .trt

-{^ hlfa t*crred. Pock.

.ln

Unn Q-1
 A//-\//.-:7575r^//:YA/N/y>.-/b

F,A,^w Q
-f.-cil

phyat,, *r,,latt
?-/-
(uet Season )
,/ --
--
/- '/
'/ - 'PArcaht
"' gqtdaca
,/ -./ --/
Carg Seoson )
-/* ?dent,f,ed
f ailure tat fiau

fisule Q -5-€)
oa,d ,

f,. .foo$cn

/5n

PtS,nre q- 5-(t)