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comparison between limit equilibrium and finite element

method for slope stability analysis.

18

th

National Con ention on Civil Engineering

8-10May2013The Empress Hotel, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Comparison between Numerical and Limit Equilibrium Methods for Slo e Stability Analysis
1*

hollada Kanjanakul Tanan Chub-uppakarn

12

Department of Civil Engi eering, Faculty of Engineering, Prince of Songkla Univer ity, Songkla 90110
E-mail:

chollada-ka@hotmail.com, tanan2284@psu.ac.th

2. Slope stability analysis theories

Abstract
Uncertainty in soil properties may lea d to problems in

Analysis method of slope st ability can be divided in two

slope stability analysis (e.g. Heterogeneou in soil mass of

major parts as shown in figure .(Limit equilibrium methods

natural slopesaretop
difficult
5% toevaluate
3,145 theexact
Infoshear

and Numerical methods)

Uploaded by

Chollada Kanjanakul

strength. This is a main cause of wrong c alculate factor of

safety and wrong design to protect ion slope).Thus,
probabilistic study is carried out to ass ss the effect of

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2.1Limit equilibrium met ods

Limit equilibrium methods for slope stability analysis

uncertainty of soil properties on stability o slope.This paper

can be separated in two parts. he first one is satisfies force

describes the Random-finite element ( RFEM) to slope

and moment of equilibrium, T e result of these method is

stability risk assessment compares betwe n numerical and

factor of safety, Which is d epend on mean of force

limit equilibrium method to analyze slope stability.

equilibrium and another one i probabilistic slope stability

Furthermore this paper compares

between finite

analysis.The result of these me thod is probability of failure,

element method and random-finite elem ent method. The

Which is depend on random v riable of soil parameter that

result of RFEM analyses with monte car lo simulation are

we concern.

describe by a range of parametric variations. Analyzed

method is used in conjunction with mont carlo simulation

Slope
StabilityAn
ili
alysis
l i

to determine probability of failure (P f) and its corresponding

probability distributions.
Keywords: Slope Stability Analysis, Rand m-finite element

method, Numerical Method.

Satisfies force &

moment of equilibrium

1. Introduction
Slope stability analysis is one of th

Numerical
Methods

Limit Equilibrium
Methods

Finite Difference
methods (FDM)

Probabilistic Slope
Stability Analysis

Finite Element
Methods (FEM)

Force

oldest tasks in

geotechnical engineering.The earliest stu ies appeared in

the 1970s (e.g., Matsuo and Kuroda, 19 4; Alonso, 1976;
Tang et al., 1976; Vanmarcke, 1977) and have continued
steadily (e.g., DAndrea and Sangrey, 19 2; Li and Lumb,
1987; Whitman, 2000; Wolff, 1996; Lacass e, 1994; Christian
et al., 1994; Christian, 1999; Lacasse a d Nadim, 1994;
Hassan and Wolff; Duncan, 2000; Szynakie wicz et al., 2002;

- Force equilibrium methods

(e.g.Lowe and Karafiath 1960;
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
1970)

Discrete Element
methods (DEM)
Boundary Element
methods (BEM)

Moment

- Ordinary Method of Slices

(Fellenius 1927)

Discrete Fracture
Network methods
(DFN)

Force+Moment

- Bishop's Modified Method

1955
- Janbus Generalized Procedure
of slices(Janbu 1968)
- Morgenstern & prices Method
1965
- Spencer 1967

EI-Ramly et al., 2002;Griffiths and Fenton, 2007; Griffiths et

al., 2008).

Random Finite Element

Method (RFEM)

Meshless Local PetrovGalerkin

Method(MLPG)
Lodalen Slide

Fig. 1 Slope Stability Analysis Method

This paper focus on review slope st bility analysis by

using limit equilibrium methods and nu erical methods.

2.1.1 Satisfies force and

oment of equilibrium

Especiallyrandom finite element method (RFEM), a more

Limit equilibrium method i satisfied a stability analysis

rigorous method of probabilistic geotec nical analysis in

method to discuss about bal nce of resisting and driving

which finite-element methods are combined with random-

force.Slope will have a balance when resisting force (weight

field generation techniques and fully ac ounts for spatial

of soil mass) is equal externa l force acting on soil mass

correlation and averaging. RFEM method is also powerful

(driving force) and balance of soil slope is depend on the

slope stability risk assessment tool that d oes not require a

increase of slope angle because it has a significantly

prior assumption relating to the shape o r location of the

influence on the reduction of factor of safety. If the value

failure mechanism. (Griffiths and Fenton, 2 04)

of F.S. is less than 1.0 the slope stability is unstable.

PDF

Report Work

Table 1 describe forces equilibrium methods (e.g., Lowe

statistical distribution of a performance function. Based on

and karafiath 1960; U.S.Army Corps of Engineers, 1970 ).This

statistical characteristics of input variables, Process of this

applies to any shape of slip surfaces and satisfies both

method for analyze factor of safety come from distribution

horizontal and vertical force equilibrium.However this

of random variable by monte carlo simulation. Then,

method is not consider moment equilibrium.Another

probability density function (pdf) leads to measure

method for slope stability analysis, for example bishops

probability of failure (Pf).

modified method(Bishop, 1955) doesnt satisfies horizontal

Degroot (1996) said that engineers can be adjust for best

force equilibrium and applies only for circular slip surfaces.

estimate and a measure of uncertainty in the best estimate

by

Table 1

a.) Mean (

Characteristics of Slope Stability Analysis (Duncan

and Wright, 1980)

is a statistical measure of

normal distribution and measure of Unimodal Pattern

Method

Characteristics

data.That data collected from a population with a constant

Slope Stability Charts

Accurate enough for many purposes

(Janbu 1968 ; Duncan

Faster than detailed computer ana-

et al, 1987)

lyses

Ordinary Method of

1. Only for circular slip surfaces

Slices(Fellenius, 1927)

2. Satisfies moment equilibrium

variance which is used to explain the deviation of

3.Does not satisfy horizontal or verti-

population.

standard deviation.

1. Only for circular slip surfaces

Method (Bishop, 1955)

2. Satisfies moment equilibrium

= = ( )

3.Satisfies vertical force equilibrium

4.Doesnt satisfy horizontal force

than two value.

1. Any shape of slip surfaces

method(e.g. Lowe and

2. Dont satisfy moment equilibrium

Karafiath 1960;U.S.Army

3.Satisfies both horizontal and verti-

corps of Engineer,1970)

cal force equilibrium

Janbus

1. Any shape of slip surfaces

Procedure

Generalized
of

Slices

(Janbu, 1968)

(2)

c.) Coefficient of variation (COV) ; Consideration ratio of

standard mean for compare standard deviation data more

equilibrium
Forces equilibrium

(1)

b.) Standard Deviation ( x) is the square root of the

cal force equilibrium

Bishops Modified

(3)

Random variable method in soil parameter that can be

First Order Second Moment Method, Point Estimate Method
and Monte Carlo Simulation.

2.Satisfies all condition of equilibrium

3.Permits side force locations to be

2.1.2.1 First order second moment method

varied

(FOSM)

4.More frequent numerical problems

FOSM method is suitable for function that have more

than some other methods

than or equal two variable parameter that used first part

Morgenstern and prices

1. Any shape of slip surfaces

from Taylors series approximation for estimate factor of

Method(Morgenstern &
Price, 1965)

2.Satisfies all condition of equilibrium

3.Permits side force orientations to

safety (F.S.).
F.S. = g(X1 ,X2 ,X3 ,...........,Xn )

be varied
Spencers Method

1. Any shape of slip surfaces

(Spencer, 1967)

2.Satisfies all conditions of equili

g (X I) is
e

varied

deviation of random variable.

uncertainty

in

soil

ratio

between

F.S.
u

[ ]=

V F.S.

properties.

Probabilistic analyses are normally used to evaluate

Model Error

consideration

This is one of slope stability analysis method was

solve

Factor safety function

is

3. Permits side force locations to be

2.1.2 Probabilistic slope stability analysis

for

(4)

Equation 5,6 shows coefficient of variation (COV) that

brium

developed

+e

When

mean

cov s s
u
u

and

standard

(5)

2
F.S.

xj

= V[F.S.] =

f(x)

x i

(6)

When

x i

is Variable parameter

is Model Error
F.S. = g(S U

x
A

+ 1) g(S U 1)

(7)

E [X]
f(x)

From equation 4 lead to find variable parameter of F.S. and

Probability density function (pdf) from vertical axis (Phoon

and Kulhawy, 1999) because of undrained shear strength
x

(Su) and Characteristic of distribution of F.S. as shown in Fig

2 after that find Probability of failure that F.S.

<1

E [X]

Xp-

pdf

X+

p+

Fig. 3 Beam with Vertical Load (After Harr 1987)

x+

= x + x

Pf

(9)

= 1 p +

= x + x

(10)

p +
p +

(11)

p
F.S. =1

When

F.S.

p- = The resultant force at x = x- from beam.

F.S.

p+ = The resultant force at x = x+ from beam.

Fig. 2 Probability of failure (P f)

2.1.2.2Point estimate method (PEM)

= Skewness

2.1.2.3Monte carlo simulation

When function has variable parameter more than two

Monte

Carlo

Simulation or implementation is a

(Eq. 4), the method of stability analysis is therefore

statistical method.Arising from implementation of the

complicated. Rosenblueth (1975) introducedpoint estimate

parameter values is selected for the analysis or calculation

method, PEM approach, based on Random Variable (Mean,

repeated several times.

Variance

and

Skewness) to

understand

similarity

of

Finally replied in a probability distribution.Until it get

probabilistic distribution and load distribution.For example

the results by calculating the factor of safety repeat many

rigid beam that is applied vertical load action in beam as

times and large enough to have the distribution of F.S.

shown in Fig

(Probability density function).Then P f can be calculated

Harr. (1987) compare radius of gyration that shows

from the possibility that F.S. < 1 .

distribution from considerate point. It means standard

2.2 Numerical method

deviation as shown in fig. 3. When beam was acted by load,

reaction has occurred. Hence, p- force has appeared at x =

Numerical modelling starts by dividing the slope into a

x-, and at x = x + for p+ force. This approach was called as

finite number of zones or elements. Forces and strains are

Two-point estimates of distribution of function f(x) .They

then calculated for each element using the appropriate

have relation about variable as shown in equation 8.

p +

1
1
2

1
2

1+
2

constitutive laws for the materials in the slope.The most

common numerical analysis methods available are Finite
Difference methods (FDM), Finite Element Methods (FEM),
Discrete Element methods (DEM), Boundary Element

(8)

methods (BEM), and Discrete Fracture Network methods

(DFN).

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