Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, Vol. 39, No.

2, 2002

SOIL MECHANICS

SHORT- AND LONG-TERM SLOPE STABILITY

Z. G. Ter-Martirosyan and M. V. Proshin UDC 624.131.537:624.137.2

Moscow State Civil Engineering University.

Bases are presented for quantitative estimation of rates of creep displacements from results of
rheologic testing of soil specimens in distortion and annular-shear devices, and also calcula-
tion of the stress-strain state of a slope by the finite-element method in an example of a
creeping slope – Vorob’ev Hills in Moscow. Several zones where the degree of approximation
to the limiting state is close to unity are noted from computational results. In these zones, the
rate of creep displacements reaches 1.5 cm/year, which corresponds to results of field obser-
vations.

The division of natural slopes into stable and unstable parts is conditional, if the time factor is con-
sidered. A slope or embankment that is stable at a given time may become unstable over an extended peri-
od, or is found in a nonsteady state of continual creep without going over into a phase of catastrophic col-
lapse, i.e., sliding.
Numerous methods [1-4] based on requirements of Construction Rule and Regulation 2.02.01-83
have been developed for quantitative estimation of the short-term stability of slopes and embankments. The
safety factor for stability, which should be higher than the standard value, is a criterion of short-term slope
stability. This estimate of short-term stability is required to prevent the catastrophic phase of sliding, since
it enables us to determine the degree of approximation to the limiting state. This type of calculation applies
to the first group of limiting states, and answers the question (yes or no) concerning the stability of a slope
at a given time (short-term stability).
The results of these calculations, however, are not very informative. They are required, but fail to
answer adequately the question concerning possible creep displacements, which may develop under certain
conditions, even when the safety factor for stability is higher than the standard value. This situation arises
as a result of variation in the stress-strain state (SSS) over the long term, and the accumulation of vis-
coplastic deformations throughout the entire volume of the mass of soils comprising the creeping slope. The
catastrophic phase may set in only when the shear deformations that have accumulated along a certain sur-
face reach the limiting value γ(x, y) = γmax, as a result of which shear deformations are localized, and relative
displacement of one section (upper) of the mass occurs relative to another (lower). All this has been repeat-
edly observed in slopes after catastrophic displacements.
Numerous laboratory tests of hollow cylindrical clayey-soil specimens on a torsion and distortion
machine confirm this mechanism for the development of shear deformations right up to their localization on
a certain plane.
During kinematic loading (assigned displacements), the soil specimen undergoes shear deformations
over its entire height without a break in continuity until the shear deformation reaches the limiting value for
the given type of soils and given densities – moisture contents. For the majority of clays, the deformations

Translated from Osnovaniya, Fundamenty i Mekhanika Gruntov, No. 2, pp. 2-5, March-April, 2002.
0038-0741/02/3902-0045$27.00 2002 Plenum Publishing Corporation 45
 U (mm)

γ = γmax
C C

γ < γmax γ = γmax

Fig. 1. Schematic diagram showing development of

shear (angular) deformations of soil in annular-
shear and distortion machines.

fall within the limits from 7 to 10%. When this value is attained, localization of shear deformations, forma-
tion of a slide surface, and a sharp drop in shear strength are observed in the soil specimens. Moreover,
there are no further changes in deformations in the upper and lower sections of the specimen, and displace-
ment does not occur along sliding surface C-C, which is formed (Fig. 1).
It is obvious that in the soil masses comprising a creeping body, the formation of a sliding surface
occurs in a more complex manner. This is dictated by the nonuniformity of the structure and SSS of the
slopes, and the influence exerted by numerous slide-forming factors (hydrogeological conditions, wetting
and consolidation processes, man’s activity on the slope, etc.), which are difficult to model under laborato-
ry conditions. The creep process may therefore take place at different rates over many years.
The need for quantitative prediction of creep displacements over time therefore arises. Analysis of
slopes with respect to deformation (over time) is required not only for protection of the surrounding area
(ecological problem), but particularly in those cases where the soil masses on the slopes and embankments
serve as beds for different structures (buildings, roads and highways, pipelines, tunnels, supports for trans-
mission lines, etc.), many of which are sensitive to deformations, and may not withstand nonuniform dis-
placements.
At the present time, the Bingham-Shvedov-Maslov equation of viscoplastic flow is used for quanti-
tative prediction of creep displacements over time, as well as horizontal displacements of hydraulic struc-
tures. Owing to its simplicity, and the limited number of parameters that enter into this equation (three), it
is possible to solve many applied problems of geomechanics by estimating the SSS of the soil masses. The
equation does not, however, make it possible to predict deformations for shear stresses less than τlim, and
does not take into account the dependence of viscosity on tangential and normal stresses. In addition, obser-
vations of numerous creeping slopes and the beds of hydraulic structures and retaining walls indicate that
shear deformations in clayey soils develop over a prolonged period under any shear stresses without going
over into the damping-creep phase. Moreover, the greater the degree of approximation of the stress state to
the limiting state Ω = τ/τmax = 1, the higher the rate of shear deformations, and when τ ≥ τlim, quantitative
jumps will occur in the τ = f( γ ) curve. The relationship for this (second) segment is described by the Bing-
ham-Shvedov-Maslov equation

τ − τ lim
γ vp = . (1)
ηvp

In this segment, the rates of shear deformation are high, and reach (10-3-10-5)/sec; this does not
always occur under natural conditions.

46
 The initial (inclined) segment of the τ = f( γ ) curve is of greatest interest when the rate of shear
deformations does not exceed 10-6/sec.
Observations of creep displacements of slopes and displacements of retaining and hydraulic struc-
tures indicate that the actual displacement rates on the surface of a stratum of clayey soils with a thickness
of several to tens of meters varies within the limits from 1-2 to 10-20 cm per year; this corresponds to rates
of shear deformations from 10-6 to 10-10/sec, and the viscosity of the soil varies as a function of rate of
deformations. These shear deformations correspond to the initial segment of theτ = f( γ ) curve.
The need to describe the curve of the viscoplastic flow (deformations) of clayey soils, which
includes the initial (inclined) and second (steep) segments of the τ = f( γ ) curve, arises in this connection.
This is possible, if we make use of the above-indicated bilinear or nonlinear relationship.
For the bilinear relationship, for example, we have

τ τ − τ lim
γvp = + , (2)
ηv η vp
where
τlim = σ tanϕl + cl; (3)

ϕl and cl are peak-strength parameters, which are determined from results of kinematic or relaxation tests on
torsion or distortion machines, σ is the effective part of the normal stress (after deducting the pore pres-
sure), ηv and ηvp are parameters of the viscous and viscoplastic flow during shear (Pa⋅sec), and γvp is the
rate of viscoplastic shear deformation.
The first term in Eq. (2) describes the deformation rate in the interval 0 < τ ≤ τlim in the inclined
segment, and the second when τ > τlim in the steep segment of this curve.
When the nonlinear relationship is used, it is possible to describe the τ = f( γ ) curve over the entire
range from τ equal to zero to τmax > τlim (from Ω = 0 to Ω = 1), i.e.,

Ω(γ ) − Ω min
γ = γ min exp (4)
λΩ
or
 γ 
Ω(γ ) = Ω min + ln   λ Ω, (5)
 γ min 
Ω max − Ω min
where λΩ =
ln(γmax ) − ln(γmin ) , and Ωmax and Ωmin are the maximum (Ωmax = 1) and minimum values of the
degree of approximation to the limiting state (peak strength) for the maximum and minimum rates of angu-
lar deformation, respectively; here, γmax = 1/sec, and γmin = 10-9/sec.
To calculate the rates of shear deformation from (4), it is necessary to determine only one parame-
ter λΩ for the type of clayey soil in question in a given interval of angular-deformation rates γmax and γmin .
The value of λΩ characterizes the slope of the Ω − ln γ line, and differs for different soils. The parameter
λΩ indicates what increase in degree of approximation to the limiting state must be realized for the soil in
order to increase the natural logarithm of the rate of angular deformations by unity. Figure 2 shows Ω − ln γ
curves approximated by straight lines for five varieties of soils: 1– Jurassic clay of the Volzhsk formation
from the bed of a tall building on Davydkovsk Street in Moscow (σ = 0.2, 0.4, and 0.7 MPa); 2 – Jurassic
clay of the Oksfordsk formation (σ = 0.6 MPa), and 5 – morainic clayey loam (σ = 0.2 MPa) of a creeping
slope in the Vorob’ev Hills in Moscow – test for distortion; 4 – clay of a creeping slope from a neighbor-
hood in Sarapul (σ = 0.2 MPa); and, 3 – Quartenary clay (σ = 0.2 MPa) of a creeping slope at the Zagorsk
pumped-storage power plant.

47
 0,75 0,8 0,85 0,9 0,95 1

deformations
äåôîðìàöèé
-8

-10

óãëîâûõ
-12

of angular
3 4
-14

ñêîðîñòè
2
-16

of rate
ëîãàðèôì
-18

logarithm
1
-20

Íàòóðàëüíûé
-22

Natural
Degree of approximation to limiting state

Fig. 2. Dependence of rate of angular deformations

on degree of approximation to limiting state.

In essence, the parameter λΩ replaces the two parameters ηv and ηvp of bilinear relationship (2) in
nonlinear relationship (4), and makes it possible to predict rates of angular deformations γ for any degree
of approximation to the limiting state (0 ÷ Ωmax), and for a complex stress state.
In the proposed model, the expression Ω = τ/τmax can be calculated from the direction of the load
path realized for the bed soil (slope) with a load-path parameter Kσ = ∆σ / ∆τ. Then, expression (4) may also
account for the load path of the soil.
It should be pointed out that to attain the limiting shear deformation γmax , which is characteristic for
the type of soil in question, and fluctuates within the range from 7 to 10% in a kinematic test regime at an
angular-deformation rate less than γ = 10-9/sec, the duration of the test will be approximately 300 years.
The kinematic-relaxation method that we have developed for testing soils on an annular-shear
machine makes it possible to obtain minimum rates of shear deformations in a short time interval. For this
purpose, the specimen is brought to the peak strength γ ≤ γmax in a given kinematic regime of shear-defor-
mation rates τ ≤ τmax, and is converted to a relaxation test regime by recording accumulated shear deforma-
tion as a result of subsequent connection to a dynamometer of finite stiffness. Stress relaxation and addi-
tional development of shear deformations at rates varying (decreasing) over a broad time interval occur in
this system. In these tests, it is possible to derive the Ω = f( γ ) relationship for a single specimen over a
broad range of variation in rates of angular deformations; this is expedient for undisturbed soil specimens,
when it is often difficult to select twin specimens.
Prediction of the rate of creep displacements of a slope in the Vorob’ev Hills in Moscow at the con-
struction site of a cable way is analyzed as an example of the use of the proposed equations of the vis-
coplastic behavior of clayey soils. The SSS was modeled numerically under plane-strain conditions using the
“UniWAY” finite-element-method program developed by Vlasov and Mnushkin [5]. After determining the
SSS of the creeping slope in the elastoplastic statement, the program’s authors in conjunction with M. V.
Proshin and under the guidance of Z. G. Ter-Martirosyan calculated the degree of approximation of the lim-
iting state Ω = τ/τmax in a computational domain from which rates of angular deformations were determined
at various points of the bed and slope.
The above-indicated numerical calculations made it possible to obtain the rates of horizontal dis-
placements of the creeping body by numerical integration with respect to angular deformations (up to 1.5
cm per year (Fig. 3)), which are in good agreement with results of field measurements of rates of horizon-
tal displacements of the creeping body on the slope in the Vorob’ev Hills of Moscow.

48
 cm/year

cm/year

cm/year

cm/year cm/year
cm/year

Fig. 3. Curves showing absolute rates of horizontal displacements from results of numerical
calculations.

Conclusions

1. Quantitative evaluation of slopes and embankments should include calculations for the first and
second groups of limiting states, especially in cases where they serve as beds or the medium for engineer-
ing structures and utilities sensitive to nonuniform deformations.
2. To predict rates of angular deformations of soils, it is expedient to use nonlinear relationship (4),
which makes ti possible to describe rates of shear deformation over a broad range of variation in the SSS;
this assumes major practical significance.
3. The kinematic-relaxation test regime for clays in annular-shear and distortion machines makes it
possible to determine the rheologic parameters from the above-described relationships, and also the peak
and residual strengths for a single specimen.
4. Quantitative prediction of creep displacements using rheologic relationship (4) is appreciably sim-
plified on the assumption of nonlinearity of the stress state of the slope over a given time interval.

REFERENCES

1. S. S. Vyalov, Rheologic Bases of Soil Mechanics [in Russian], Vysshaya Shkola, Moscow (1978).
2. Yu. K. Zaretskii, Lectures on Modern Soil Mechanics [in Russian], Izdatel’stvo Rostovskogo
Gosudarstvennogo Universiteta, Rostov na Donu (1989).
3. N. N. Maslov, Physico-technical Theory of the Creep of Clayey Soils in Construction Practice [in Russian],
Stroiizdat, Moscow (1984).
4. Z. G. Ter-Martirosyan, Rheological Parameters of Soils and Analyses of Foundation Beds of Structures
[in Russian], Stroiizdat, Moscow (1990).
5. A. N. Vlasov and M. G. Mnushkin, Object-oriented approach to modeling of geomechanics problems,
Proceedings of the Moscow State Civil Engineering University: Modern Methods of Engineering Surveys
in Construction [in Russian], Moscow (2001), pp. 152-167.

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