BFC34402

CHAPTER 4.0
SLOPE STABILITY
 4.1 TYPES & CAUSES OF SLOPE FAILURE

Slope failures major categories

Topple
Fall
1. Fall. This is the detachment of
soil and/or rock fragments that fall
down a slope.
2. Topple. This is a forward rotation
of soil and/or rock mass about an
Slide
axis below the center of gravity of Spread
mass being displaced.
3. Slide. This is the downward
movement of a soil mass occurring
on a surface of rupture.
4. Spread. This is a form of slide by
translation. It occurs by “sudden
Flow
movement of water-bearing seams
of sands or silts overlain by clays or
loaded by fills”.
5. Flow. This is a downward
movement of soil mass similar to a
 4.1 TYPES & CAUSES OF SLOPE FAILURE

4.1.1 Types of slope failure

a) Translational slide:

i. Failure along a weak zone of soil.

ii. Sliding mass can travel long distances
before coming to rest.
iii. Common in course-grained soil.
b) Flow slide:

i. Occurs when internal & external condition

force a soil to behave like a viscous fluid &
flow down.
ii. Multiple failure surfaces usually occur &
change continuously as flow proceeds.
iii. Can occur in wet & dry soils.
 4.1 TYPES & CAUSES OF SLOPE FAILURE

4.1.1 Types of slope failure

c) Rotational slide:

i. Common in homogenous fine-grained soil.

ii. 3 types of rotational slides;
1. Base slide:
 By an arch engulfing the whole slope.
 A soft soil resting on stiff layer.
2. Toe slide:
 Failure surface passes through the
toe of slope
3. Slope slide:
 Failure surface passes through the
slope
4.1 TYPES & CAUSES OF SLOPE FAILURE

4.1.2 Causes of slope failure

1) Erosion (a & b)
2) Rainfall (c)
3) Earthquake (d)
4) Geological features (e)
5) External loading (f)
6) Construction activities (g)
7) Rapid drawdown (h)
 4.2 STABILITY OF INFINITE SLOPES

4.2.1 Factor of safety

Generally:

When Fs is equal to 1, the slope is in a state of impending failure. Generally, a value of

1.5 for the factor of safety with respect to strength is acceptable for the design of a stable slope.
4.2 STABILITY OF INFINITE SLOPES

4.2.2 Infinite slope- Without seepage

4.2 STABILITY OF INFINITE SLOPES

4.2.2 Infinite slope- Without seepage

OK
4.2 STABILITY OF INFINITE SLOPES

4.2.2Infinite slope- With steady seepage

4.2 STABILITY OF INFINITE SLOPES

4.2.2 Infinite slope Examples

4.3 METHOD OF SLICES

4.3.1 Finite slope

What the different between finite and infinite slope?

a) When the value of the critical height of the slope (Hcr)

approaches the height of the slope (H), the slope generally may
be considered finite.
b) The surface of potential failure can be considered to be curved
or plane failure surfaces.
4.3 METHOD OF SLICES

4.3.1 Finite slope- Circular Failure Surfaces Analysis

Modes of
failure
4.3 METHOD OF SLICES

4.3.1 Finite slope- Circular Failure Surfaces Analysis

Analysis method 1: Mass
procedure

cu r
2

FS 
M d
 4.3 METHOD OF SLICES

4.3.1 Finite slope- Circular Failure Surfaces Analysis

o
θ ( ) 95
Analysis method 1: Mass r (m) 9 .5

procedure- Examples C u (k N /m )
2
37
3
γ (k N /m ) 19
A slope is to be cut to construct an
embankment as shown in Figure 1. The mass
of W1 and W2 are 257 kN and 693 kN
respectively. The location of these masses
are l1 = 2.75m and l2 = 4.67m. By using the
mass procedure method or Swedish slip
circle method:
 
(i) Calculate the total moment of the driving
force about point O.
(ii) Determine the factor of safety of the trial M d (k N m) 2 5 2 9 .5 6
circle. θ (rad ian) 1 .6 5 8 2 8
(iii) Comment what happens to the calculated
Fs 2 .1 8 9 0 8
factor of safety if the height and the gradient of
4.3 METHOD OF SLICES

4.3.1 Finite slope- Circular Failure Surfaces Analysis

Analysis method 2: Method of
slices

bn
L n  @ x n se c  n
c os  n
4.3 METHOD OF SLICES

4.3.1 Finite slope- Circular Failure Surfaces Analysis

Analysis method 2: Method of
slices- Examples 1
4.3 METHOD OF SLICES

4.3.1 Finite slope- Circular Failure Surfaces Analysis

Analysis method 2: Method of slices- Examples 2
4.3 METHOD OF SLICES

4.3.1 Finite slope- Circular Failure Surfaces Analysis

Analysis method 2: Method of
slices- Examples 2

FS = 2.12
4.3 METHOD OF SLICES

4.3.1 Finite slope- Circular Failure Surfaces Analysis

Analysis method 2: Method of slices-for Steady-state Seepage

U  u n L n
W h er e u n  h n ( w )

bn
L n  @ x n se c  n
c os  n
4.3 METHOD OF SLICES

4.3.1 Finite slope- Circular Failure Surfaces Analysis

Analysis method 2: Method of slices for Steady-state Seepage
Examples 2
4.3 METHOD OF SLICES

4.3.1 Finite slope- Circular Failure Surfaces Analysis

Analysis method 2: Method of slices for Steady-state Seepage
Examples 2

FS 1 .9 4
4.4 CUT STABILITY, EMBANKMENT & NATURAL SLOPE

4.4.2 Embankment stability

 Built by rolling or otherwise compacting layers of selected soil.

 
 Compaction process squeezes out air, but as the built up height increases, the lower layers
experience an increase in pore pressure. In coarse grained soils, the excess pore pressures
dissipate quickly.
 
 In fine grained soils, the excess pore pressure is slow to dissipate and consolidation may
continue for several years.
 
 The installation of horizontal or vertical drainage blankets is used to speed up this process.
 
 In the course of time, the pore pressure decreases and the effective stresses increase,
therefore the shear strength increase.
 
 Thus, the most critical stability condition for an embankment occurs at the end of construction,
or sometimes during construction.
 
4.4 CUT STABILITY, EMBANKMENT & NATURAL SLOPE

4.4.2 Embankment stability

4.4 CUT STABILITY, EMBANKMENT & NATURAL SLOPE

4.4.1 Cut Stability

 Cuttings are excavated, whereas embankments are built.

 A decrease in total stresses and also a decreasing in pore pressure when excavation
of the removal of soils.
 Seepage regime develops in the slope after construction which it depends on the
drainage condition and the permeability of the soil.
 Therefore, an increment in pore pressure, constant in total stress but falls steadily in
effective stress.
 Besides, effective normal stress decreases too since it’s a part of proportional of soil
shear strength. So that, the long term stability of a cutting is therefore more critical
than its stability at the end of construction.
4.4 CUT STABILITY, EMBANKMENT & NATURAL SLOPE

4.4.1 Cut Stability

4.4 CUT STABILITY, EMBANKMENT & NATURAL SLOPE

Cut in slope designs

4.4 CUT STABILITY, EMBANKMENT & NATURAL SLOPE

Cut in slope designs

4.4 CUT STABILITY, EMBANKMENT & NATURAL SLOPE

Cut in slope designs

4.4 CUT STABILITY, EMBANKMENT & NATURAL SLOPE

Fill in slope designs

4.4 CUT STABILITY, EMBANKMENT & NATURAL SLOPE

Fill in slope designs

4.4 CUT STABILITY, EMBANKMENT & NATURAL SLOPE

Fill in slope designs

4.4 CUT STABILITY, EMBANKMENT & NATURAL SLOPE

Stability of cut and fill in slope designs

4.4 CUT STABILITY, EMBANKMENT & NATURAL SLOPE

Stability of cut and fill in slope designs

4.5 SLOPE STABILIZATION METHOD

4.5.1Drainage
 Drainage is one of the most widely used methods for improving stability.
 Clearly surface water must be removed and build-up of water pressures in tension
cracks prevented. Subsurface drainage must be designed to reduce the water
pressures acting on actual or potential slip surfaces; in this way, the value of the
pore pressure, u, is reduced, thereby producing an increase in the factor of safety.
 
4.5 SLOPE STABILIZATION METHOD

4.5.1Drainage

 Several methods exist for drainage system, including horizontal drains and vertical
drains.
4.5 SLOPE STABILIZATION METHOD

4.5.1Drainage
 Drainage may also be achieved by the use of electro-osmosis and by planting
suitable vegetation.
4.5 SLOPE STABILIZATION METHOD

4.5.2Restraining Structure

 Restraining structures such as piles, retaining walls and anchors may be used to
improve stability. It must be appreciated that the forces and moments to which these
structures are subjected may be very large and hence careful design is essential.
4.5 SLOPE STABILIZATION METHOD

4.5.3Modification of Slope Geometry

 Changing the geometry of a slope to improve stability can involve the: excavation
to unload the slope; filling to load the slope; and reducing the overall height of the
slope.
 4.5 SLOPE STABILIZATION METHOD

6.5.4Replacement

 Where the slip surface is not unduly deep, removal of all (or part) of the slipped material
and replacement provides a relatively simple and straightforward remedial measure.
The removed soil may be replaced by free-draining material (in which case some
additional benefit may be achieved by drainage) or by light structure such as geofoam.
4.5 SLOPE STABILIZATION METHOD

4.5.5Geotextiles

Geo-textiles can be used for:

 
 Segregation of layers: Rock-fill lay on soft ground to form a road or embankment base can be
prevented from punching into the soil below using a geotextile underlay.
 
 Tensile strength: Horizontal membranes can be used to provide tensile reinforcement and
reduce settlement.
 
 A drainage layer: Either as a water-conductor or as a filter to reduce the migration of fine
particles into a granular soil drains.
 
 An impermeable barrier: To prevent or control the flow of contaminated groundwater from or in
land-fill sites.
4.5 SLOPE STABILIZATION METHOD
The End