Abstract
New plasticity solutions for the undrained stability of unsupported conical excavations in homogeneous and non-homogeneous clays were solved by axisymmetric finite element limit analysis. Three parametric studies were performed on excavated height ratios, slope inclinations and dimensionless strength gradients. In all cases, the exact stability factors were accurately bracketed by computed bound solutions within 0.6%. An accurate closed-form equation of the stability factor was proposed from nonlinear regression analysis of lower bound solutions. New conical stability factors for soil cohesion, strength gradient, and coupling effect of these components were deduced to conveniently and accurately predict a safe solution in practice.
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