School of Engineering and the Environment

Department of Civil Engineering, Surveying and Construction Management

Coursework Assessment Brief
Module Code CE6611
Structural Engineering 2 and Geotechnical
Module Title Engineering 2
Title of Assessment Slope Stability report
Summative (% of module) or Summative – this assignment is worth 15% of
Formative your module grade
Typical individual student hours
required to complete the 15 hours
assessment
Dr Alan Dykes, room PRMB 1027
Assessment set by (and contact) a.p.dykes@kingston.ac.uk
Submission deadline (date and time) 2359 h, Monday 22 November 2021
Formal feedback 4 weeks after submission date
All assignments must be submitted by the date and time specified above.
Students are required to submit an electronic copy of their completed assignment via the
Assignments section of Canvas and follow any specific instructions. Any change to this instruction
will be advised via Canvas.
In line with Faculty policy for late submission of coursework, any work submitted up to a week late
will be capped at 40%. Coursework submitted after this time will receive 0%.
In case of illness or other issues affecting your studies please refer to the University Mitigating
Circumstances policy. Guidance on mitigating circumstances can be found on MyKingston:
https://mykingston.kingston.ac.uk/myfaculty/sec/secstudentsupportMC/Pages/Mitigating-
Circumstances.aspx
Please note that if you submit a piece of work you have judged yourself fit to undertake the
assessment and cannot claim mitigating circumstances retrospectively.
Guidance on avoiding academic assessment offences such as plagiarism and collusion can be
found on MyKingston:
https://mykingston/myuni/academicregulations/Pages/default.aspx

Module Learning Outcomes

The following module learning outcomes and professional body learning outcomes are tested in
this assessment:
4. Analyse and design foundations, earthworks and retaining walls using Eurocode 7 principles.
(PSRB Learning Outcome = SM1b,EA1b, EA4,D1,D2,D3b,D6,P6)
5. Derive and solve mathematical models and use FE in structural and geotechnical engineering.
(PSRB Learning Outcome = SM1b,SM2b,EA1b,EA3b,D2,D3b,D4,D6,EL4,EL6b,P3,P4,P8)

School of Engineering and the Environment. Coursework Assessment Brief. Page 1 of 5

Assessment task and specific terms
You are an Engineering Consultant contracted by Network Rail to assess the changing
risk to the railway line through Folkestone Warren from ground movements by analysing
the stability of the landslide. This report requires you to do the following:
1. Define the problem, including all relevant site characteristics and future changes that
may increase or reduce the risk over time;
2. Use SLOPE/W to analyse the problem:
(i) Hutchinson et al. (1980) present some cross-sections through the landslide
representing the slope configuration before and after the 1915 failure. This exercise
uses the profile W6/W7 (Fig. 16 in the paper). Start by defining the post-failure
ground surface of this cross-section in the software. The extent of the concrete toe-
weight can be estimated from Fig. 5 or, more reliably, Google Earth (zoom in and use
the scale bar). See the final page of this document.
(ii) Define the boundaries between the main geological units, including the distinction
between ‘intact’ and ‘previously failed/displaced’ materials. For the intact materials,
use: Chalk f’ = 30°, c’ = 50 kPa, γ = 22 kN m–3 Bowden et al. (2002)
Gault f’ = 22°, c’ = 66 kPa, γ = 19 kN m–3 Forster et al. (1995)
Concrete f’ = 40°, c’ = 1400 kPa, γ = 24 kN m–3 USBR (2017)
Choose appropriate values for the residual strength of the Chalk and the Gault from
information in Hutchinson et al. (1980). The Folkestone Beds (below the Gault) can be
defined as ‘Bedrock (Impenetrable)’.
(iii) Define the piezometric line that represents pore water pressures throughout the
failed mass, then define the (fully specified) slip surface. Make sure you selected this
slip surface option in the ‘Define – Project’ dialogue box.
(iv) Calculate the Factor of Safety for the problem as specified so far.
(v) Resave the model as a new file, change the slip surface option to grid-and-radius
and tick the box for ‘Optimize critical slip surface location’, then define a suitable grid
and radius to see if there is a less stable configuration (noting the details, including
FS, for the critical slip surface). You should explore a range of possibilities to get an
idea of what the overall stability situation is.
(vi) Writing for step 2:
1. Identify and briefly explain the software to the reader.
2. Outline your programme of analyses.
3. Specify and justify the geotechnical data used.
4. Interpret your results for (iv) and (v), i.e. explain what they show and what they
mean. You will need to refer to Hutchinson et al.’s paper for comparisons and
therefore to make sensible interpretations.
3. Determine the change(s) in the FS for the fully specified slip surface for the following
future conditions. Make sure you save each set-up with a separate, clearly identifiable
filename:
(i) Loss of strength of, and then complete loss of, the outer half of the concrete apron
(e.g. due to sea erosion);
(ii) For each case in 3(i), the effect of reducing the water table elevation by 10 m
across the middle of the landslide mass, then reducing the water table elevation to
sea level across the full width of the landslide mass at this elevation.
4. Writing for step 3:
1. Outline the new condition being analysed and the corresponding FS.
2. Interpret this result in terms of how the system is behaving and what that means
for maintaining stability (in terms of the main landslide unit and possible mitigation

School of Engineering and the Environment. Coursework Assessment Brief. Page 2 of 5

 measures) in the future.
5. Conclusions.

The work should be approximately 1200 (maximum 1500) words written as a

‘professional report’ using a relevant layout. This is around 3 pages of Arial 11pt text
single-spaced + Figures/Tables and References. It is appropriate to use topic
subheadings and you are expected to include correctly labelled and cited Figures (i.e.
photos, maps, sketches, diagrams, etc. – all are Figures), as well as complete and correct
referencing. You should read and follow the two documents on Canvas:
TW00 How to write a report.docx TW00 How to do referencing.docx
The report must be submitted by 2359 h on Monday 22 November 2021. It must be
compiled as a single Word document, or separate pages scanned and compiled into a
single PDF file, and submitted through Turnitin within module CE6611 in Canvas. Make
sure any Figures are of high resolution and contrast so that they are fully legible etc. both
on the screen and when printed. You will either need to use the Windows ‘Snipping Tool’
from your personal workspace to capture software outputs within your KU virtual
workspace on your laptop screen, or produce your entire report within your KU virtual
workspace. Save the file using filename: k1234567 Firstname Lastname CE6611

Assessment Criteria
Assessment of your submission will be based on the following weighted assessment
criteria as given below which relate to the specified module and PSRB learning outcomes.
Assessment criteria are reproduced in Canvas in a rubric.
Specific Criteria (marking scheme) Marks available
Introduction – see the general guidelines:
5
TW00 How to write a report.docx
Problem definition – see detailed brief (above) 15
Analysing the cross-section – see detailed brief (above)
Correct set-up of the problem in SLOPE/W 10
Interpretations/explanations of FS results 10
Modelling the future conditions – see detailed brief (above)
Correct set-up of the problem in SLOPE/W 10
Interpretations/explanations of FS results 10
Recommended priority mitigation measure 10
Conclusions 10
Correct layout of report, appropriate structure of the text content (e.g. use of subheadings),
10
appropriate and relevant Figures particularly model set-up and/or solution as appropriate
Presentation:
a. a. Clear, concise, accurate and relevant information
b. b. Good written English 10
c. Good quality and correctly labelled/captioned illustrations/diagrams
d. Correct referencing/citations
Total = 100%*

Academic skills support

For help and advice on this assessment please contact the assessment setter/s or the module
leader. For advice on academic writing and referencing please contact the Faculty of Science,
Engineering and Computing (SEC) Academic Success Centre (SASC). Trained staff and students
will give you guidance and feedback on assessments. SASC can be contacted by email:
SASC@kingston.ac.uk

School of Engineering and the Environment. Coursework Assessment Brief. Page 3 of 5

You need to represent the coloured lines for your analyses.
You also need to determine the (approximate) extent of the concrete apron that extends
from the last bit of land slope to somewhere beyond the end of the slip surface as shown.
Google Earth is good for this. Assume the sea is 5 m deep (i.e. y = –5 m) at the outer
end of the concrete apron.

School of Engineering and the Environment. Coursework Assessment Brief. Page 4 of 5

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