ECE 2302

ENGINEERING GEOLOGY

TOPIC-5
SLOPE STABILITY AND PROTECTION
 Engineering Properties of Soils
An exposed ground that stand at an angle with the
horizontal is called an unrestrained slope
Slope failures are initiated by presence of water
Slope failures can be categorized as
(1) Fall: Detachment of soil/ rock fragments that fall down slope
(2) Topple: Forward rotation of soil/ rock mass
(3) Slide: Forward movement of soil due to surface rapture
(4) Spread: Movement by translation.
(5) Flow: Down move net of soil similar to a viscous fluid
 Factor of safety
Stability of slope is analyzed by considering the factor of safety against failure
Generally, factor of safety is defined as
𝜏𝜏𝑓𝑓
𝐹𝐹𝑠𝑠 =
𝜏𝜏𝑑𝑑
FS= Factor of safety with respect to strength
τf= average shear strength of the soil
τd= average shear strength developed along the potential failure surface
Shear strength of the soli of the soil can be written as
𝜏𝜏𝑓𝑓 = 𝑐𝑐 ′ + 𝜎𝜎 ′ tan ϕ′
c= cohesion of the soil
φ'= angle of friction of the soil
σ’= Normal stress

Shear strength developed in the failure surface

𝜏𝜏𝑑𝑑 = 𝑐𝑐𝑑𝑑′ + 𝜎𝜎 ′ tan ϕd′
cd and φd are respectively cohesion and that develop along potential failure surface
𝜏𝜏𝑓𝑓 𝑐𝑐 ′ + σ′𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡ϕ′
𝐹𝐹𝑠𝑠 = =
𝜏𝜏𝑑𝑑 𝑐𝑐𝑑𝑑′ + σ′𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡ϕ𝑑𝑑′
The factor of safety agants cohesion
𝑐𝑐 ′
𝐹𝐹𝑐𝑐𝑐 = ′
𝑐𝑐𝑑𝑑
Factor of safety against angle of internal friction
𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡ϕ′
𝐹𝐹ϕ′ =
𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡ϕ𝑑𝑑′
Stability Analysis of Infinite Slope (No seepage of Water)
Infinite slope is one that extends along distance
Consider a slope in which

H= Height of the slope

β = Slope angle of inclination to the vertical
γ= Unit weight of the soil
EXAMPLE: Factor of safety no seepage
Stability Analysis of Infinite Slope (Seepage)
 Stability Analysis of Finite Slopes
When the value of Hcr , critical height
approaches the height of the slope, the slope
may be considered finite
To analyze finite slope, we need to make
assumption about general shape of the
failure surface.

H= Height of the slope

β = Slope angle of inclination to the vertical For the slope to be stable,
γ= Unit weight of the soil the shear resistance must be
greater than the generate
shear strength

Example for clay slope with φ=o

Resisting shear
force

FS<1.5, Slope protection generates shear

system required force
 Soil Slope Protection systems

Slip
surface

Slope benching Soil nailing: nails must extend past the slip line
Mechanically Stabilized Earth Wall (MSE
walls)
 Cut the slope and removed the
problematic soil
 Add layers reinforcement and
structural fills and compact the fills
 Reinforcement must go beyond the
slip plane
 Add the facing units/Panel to protect
against erosion
 Provide weep holes to drain the water
to avoid developing hydrostatic
pressure behind the wall
 Rock Slope Protection systems

Rock curtains

Protective Rock barrier fence

Hydraulic rock hammering to bring

Rock benching down rock from the slope
 Rock Slope Protection systems

Rock bolting reinforcement

Rock grouting