SLOPE STABILITY ANALYSIS:

LIMITE EQUILIBRIUM METHODS

CE 163
2ND SEMESTER 2011-2012
 SWEDISH CIRCLE METHOD

r   ci li 
FS 
Wa
r  radius of the slip circle
ci  cohesion
li  segment length
W  weight of the soil mass
a  moment arm of the soil mass
 SWEDISH CIRCLE METHOD
• Assumes that φ=0
• Explicitly satisfies moment equilibrium
• Implicitly satisfies force equilibrium
completely
• Is accurate for both homogeneous and non-
homogeneous slopes in φ=0 soils, provided
that the slip surface can be approximated by a
circle.
 ORDINARY METHOD OF SLICES
• Assumes a circular slip surface and sum moments about the
center of the circle; method only satisfies moment
equilibrium.
• Assumes interslice forces are parallel to the slope of the slip
circle for a given slice.
• For φ=0, OMS gives same FS as Swedish Circle Method.
• Permits FS to be calculated directly. All other methods are
iterative.
• OMS is less accurate than other methods of slices. Accuracy
is less for effective stress analysis and decreases as pore
water pressures become large.
 MODIFIED BISHOPS METHOD
• Assumes a circular slip surface and horizontal
interslice forces.
• For φ=0, give same FS as OMS because all
methods satisfy moment equilibrium.
• More accurate than OMS, especially for
effective stress analysis with high pore water
pressures.
BMM NUMERICAL PROBLEMS
BMM NUMERICAL PROBLEMS
FORCE EQUILIBRIUM PROCEDURES
• Lowe & Karafiath – interslice forces are
inclined at the average slope of ground
surface and slip surface.
• Simplified Janbu – interslice forces are
horizontal.
• US-ACE – interslice foces are parallel to the
average embankment slope.
COMPLETE EQUILIBRIUM PROCEDURES

• Morganstern and Price: Assumes that the

horizontal and vertical components of
interslice forces are related in the following
manner: V = λf(x)H where f(x) is assumed but
λ is solved as part of the solution.
• Spencer: Assume interslice forces are parallel
but orientation is iterative solved.
FACTORS OF SAFETY
 SUMMARY
• Both OMS and BMM should be used only for analyzing circular
slip surfaces and should not be used for non-circular slip surfaces.
• BMM is preferred over OMS for effective stress analysis,
particularly for slopes involving high pore pressures.
• BMM generally gives a factor of safety greater than OMS, with
the exception of special cases in which numerical difficulties arise
• For cases involving numerical difficulties engineering judgement
should be used.
• FS should be selected on the basis of uncertainty of load and
cost/consequences of failure.
• See chapter 6 of Duncan & Wright for details