Safety Factor Of Slope Research Articles

The critical role of c and φ in ensuring stability: A study on rockfill dams

Abstract Slope stability analysis is an important part of rockfill dam design, and the uncertainty of rock and soil physical and mechanical parameters has a significant impact on slope stability. In this article, based on physical and mechanical parameters c and φ, simplified Bishop’s method and mean clustering method are adopted to study the influence of parameter cohesion c and internal friction Angle φ on slope safety factor k of composite geomembrane rockfill dam, and the key and non-critical areas of the dam are preliminarily differentiated according to the different influences of the changes in different sections of the dam body on slope safety factor c and φ. The research results show that whether c and φ change ±5 and ±10% simultaneously with single parameter or double parameter, it shows that cohesion force c has little influence on slope stability, while internal friction Angle φ is the most sensitive factor in slope stability calculation, and its numerical accuracy has a great influence on the calculation result of safety factor. In addition, the influence of c and φ in key areas on the stability of the dam body is more significant. Therefore, in the construction of a composite geofilm rockfill dam, a relatively accurate φ value is required when selecting parameters, especially in key areas. This study not only has a certain guiding significance for the property requirements of the selected soil, engineering safety, and engineering optimization design, but also puts forward some new methods and ideas for optimizing the design scheme and improving the safety of the dam.

Multi-Source Monitoring and Numerical Simulation Deformation on Highway Steep Slopes Under Rainfall Effects

Rainfall is one of the most important factors affecting slope stability. This study employed multi-source monitoring devices to observe the slope displacements in real time under rainfall infiltration and performed numerical simulations to investigate the effects of different rainfall conditions and anti-slip pile configurations on slope stability. Specifically, multi-source monitoring operations were conducted on the high and steep slopes along the Yunmao Expressway. Real-time data on slope deformation, rainfall, and displacement at the tops of anti-slip piles were collected and analyzed, and numerical simulations were conducted using Geo Studio finite-element software. The findings indicated that abrupt deformation of slopes occurs once a threshold rainfall amount is surpassed and sustained over a specific duration. Slope displacement decreased with increasing slope depth above the potential slip fracture surface, with a more rapid reduction in deformation rates observed in slopes reinforced with anti-slip piles. For equivalent rainfall amounts, short-duration, intense rainfalls led to a rapid decrease in the slope safety factor, which also recovered rapidly once the rainfall ceased, in contrast to long-duration, mild rainfalls. The presence and location of anti-slip piles significantly influenced slope stability; therefore, project implementation should carefully consider factors such as cost and duration for optimal decision making.

A modified solution for evaluating the sliding direction and stability of 3D slopes

In this paper, we present an improved and efficient analytical solution for evaluating the stability of 3D slopes based on the minimum potential energy method. The equilibrium equation of the landslide is employed to determine the shear stress on the failure surface, and a new formulation for shear potential energy is introduced. The vector-combined direction of the force acting on the landslide is considered equivalent to the sliding direction (SD). Two classic examples are reanalyzed to validate the accuracy and performance of the proposed method. The analysis demonstrates that the obtained results align well with reference solutions and tend to be conservative in engineering applications. Parameter investigations are conducted to explore the influences of SD, shear strength parameters, slope angle, and soil unit weight on the safety factor (SF) of 3D slopes. The findings indicate that a larger SD corresponds to a less stable slope. Finally, the effects of optimization parameters, landslide volume, and surcharge on the location of the failure surface, SF, and SD are also examined. The developed analytical approach offers a novel and straightforward solution with sufficient accuracy and eliminates the need for iteration in determining the SF, making it a valuable complementary method for assessing the stability of 3D slopes.

Effect of weathering on the stability of rock slope at a water intake canal of Simplicio Hydroelectric Power Plant

Rock and joint alteration leads to modifications in their properties, resulting in a reduction of rock mass strength and consequently a decrease in the safety of engineering structures. The alteration process changes the material and alters its geomechanical behavior. This research presents the studies conducted to evaluate the mechanical behavior of rock joints in the gneiss massifs that make up the hydraulic circuit of the Simplicio Hydroelectric Plant due to their alteration. Compilation and analysis of data from previous research were carried out to parameterize the joints at different levels of alteration. Deterministic stability analyses showed that the alteration process of gneiss joints can significantly reduce the slope safety factor by up to half of its initial value. Furthermore, probabilistic analyses revealed an increase in failure probability of approximately 10% among the studied alteration classes. The results underscore the importance of assessing the level of joint alteration in engineering projects.

The influence of rainfall patterns on factor of safety for clayey soil slopes

The persistent trend of rising temperatures and shifting weather patterns caused by climate change has prompted significant concern around the world. This research aims to evaluate the instability of slopes in Almaty, Kazakhstan, under various rainfall patterns, groundwater tables, and slope geometries by incorporating the principles of unsaturated soil mechanics. However, there have been a limited number of studies incorporating the principle of unsaturated soil mechanics with constant rainfall patterns in Central Asia, particularly in Kazakhstan, on the impact of rainfall-causing landslides. Hence, in this research, GeoStudio software (SEEP/W and SLOPE/W) was used to simulate the factor of safety (FoS) and pore water pressure for the investigated slopes under different rainfall patterns. Results from Hyprop and statistical method show that the saturated volumetric water content is 0.502, whereas the residual one is 0.147 and for the permeability function the conductivity coefficient started to sharply decrease at the suction value of 2 kPa when the air-entry value was 24 kPa. Findings from numerical analysis show the change in FoS for the slope of 10 m height and 27-degree slope angle was 6%, 7%, 7%, and 8% for cyclic, delayed, advanced, and normal distributions, respectively. For the slope with 20 m height and the same 27-degree angle, the change in FoS was 8%, 10%, 8%, and 11% for the cyclic, delayed, advanced, and normal distributions, respectively. These same patterns were shown in slopes with 35-degree and 45-degree angles, having the same 10 m and 20 m heights. Comparatively, this shows that slopes under cyclic rainfall patterns (240 mm of rain within 12 days) are less prone to failure compared to slopes under continuous, delayed, or regularly distributed rainfall patterns. Moreover, an increase in slope height and angle also affect the FoS negatively. It should be noted that the results obtained are only applicable to clayey-loam soil.

Computational modeling of three-dimensional slope reinforcement by anchor cable micropile group considering coordinated deformation

The application of anchor cable micropile group (ACMPG) in small and medium-sized slope support is gradually widespread. However, the coordination deformation of the structure and the resistance of the soil in front of the piles are less considered in the existing calculation models. Therefore, based on the load transfer approach and according to the structural characteristics of the ACMPG, the calculation method was provided for the resistance of the soil in front of the pile and the tension of the anchor after deformation. And the equations for calculating the resistance of the ACMPG were established. Based on the method of upper bound limit analysis, the display equation had been established for the safety factor of reinforcing the 3D slope of the structure. And finite element models were developed to validate the theoretical model. Finally, a parametric study was conducted to investigate the influence of slope angle, soil friction angles, location, 3D effects, on the slope safety factor and the support effect of piles and anchor cables supporting the structure. The results showed that the theory proposed in this paper can accurately calculate the safety factor of slopes, which is helpful for the design and construction of slope reinforcement.

Three-Dimensional Spectral Element Method Implementation for Evaluating Rooted Soil Behavior in Slope Stability Analysis

Bioengineering techniques are being increasingly adopted as a sustainable solution to soil slope instability. Despite their recognized benefits, however, the mechanistic contribution of vegetation to slope stability remains inadequately understood due to the intricate nature of soil–root interactions and the complexity of root architectures. Most existing research predominantly offers qualitative assessments of vegetation effectiveness. This study aims to numerically substantiate the role of vegetation as a bioengineering technique for soil slope stabilization. Various plant species used commonly for soil stabilization were identified, and undisturbed soil samples were collected to quantify the shear strength parameters of the soils from both barren and vegetated slopes, along with root tensile strengths. A comprehensive topographic survey was conducted to capture the precise topography of the study area. Utilizing these primary data, in this work we develop 3D models for five representative plants within each species category and employ the Spectral Element Method (SEM), an advanced higher-order formulation of the finite element method (FEM), within the 3D domain to evaluate the factor of safety for the soil slopes. The SEM offers superior accuracy and stability in numerical computations. The results obtained through the SEM were corroborated through the FEM modeling and were found to be consistent with other established methodologies. This innovative approach of 3D SEM aims to quantitatively assess the impact of vegetation on soil slope stability and provide a more rigorous understanding of bioengineering applications in geotechnical engineering.

Analysis on slope stability by anchorage based on soil creep with flood effect

In order to analyze the adverse effect of flood affection on slope stability, the analytical expressions of buoyancy force and capillary force, hydrodynamic pressure and impact force, and scour erosion were proposed based on the aging characteristics of soil shear strength and limit equilibrium theory. According to the load combination and flood action, shear failure occurs preferentially at the foot of slope. Then, the plastic zone continues to extend upward to produce traction landslide disaster mode. Furthermore, the power function relation between shear strength index and time was established. The nonlinear accelerated creep model was also obtained. At the same time, the safety factor formula for flood loading effect slope aging stability, the time-varying characteristic value of anchor force and the compensation value of anchor force were also obtained and used to research sliding mechanism. In addition, the numerical calculation example shows that the slope safety factor decreases by more than 20 % considering the effect of flood ascending scour and impact, and the compensation value of anchorage force increases obviously with time increasing. Simultaneously, the change rate of compensation value of anchorage force increases nonlinearly with the increase of design safety factor.

Influence of 3D subsurface flow on slope stability for unsaturated soils

The occurrence of rainfall-induced slope failures has become more frequent due to the effect of climate change. Hence, various studies have been conducted to analyse the effect of rainfall infiltration on slope stability. Physically-based hydrological models have been commonly used with slope stability models such as the infinite slope model to develop slope susceptibility maps. However, a combination of three-dimensional (3D) water balance model with 3D limit equilibrium method (LEM) has not been commonly used. Hence, in this study, a water balance model, GEOtop was used to investigate the influence of subsurface flow in unsaturated soil under extreme rainfall conditions on regional slope stability in 3D directions. The results from the GEOtop model were used as inputs for 3D LEM slope stability analysis performed using the Scoops3D software to obtain the factor of safety (FOS) map for the region. Four slopes within the region were then selected to be modelled in the two-dimensional (2D) seepage and slope stability analyses, SEEP/W and SLOPE/W. Results from the detailed study showed that the pore-water pressures (PWPs) from the 3D water balance analyses were found to be higher than the 2D seepage analyses. Under similar PWP conditions, the FOS from the 2D slope stability analysis was observed to be lower than the 3D analysis for two out of the four slopes. However, the combined 3D water balance and slope stability analyses produced lower FOS compared to the 2D seepage and slope stability analyses due to the higher PWPs in the 3D water balance analyses. Therefore, this study highlights the importance of considering the 3D subsurface flow in unsaturated soil given that it has a significant influence on the FOS of slopes.

Efficient optimization parameter calibration method-based DEM simulation for compacted loess slope under dry–wet cycling

Dry–wet cycles can cause significant deterioration of compacted loess and thus affect the safety of fill slopes. The discrete element method (DEM) can take into account the non-homogeneous, discontinuous, and anisotropic nature of the geotechnical medium, which is more capable of reflecting the mechanism and process of instability in slope stability analysis. Therefore, this paper proposes to use the DEM to analyze the stability of compacted loess slopes under dry–wet cycles. Firstly, to solve the complex calibration problem between macro and mesoscopic parameters in DEM models, an efficient parameter optimization method was proposed by introducing the chaotic particle swarm optimization with sigmoid-based acceleration coefficients algorithm (CPSOS). Secondly, during the parameter calibration, a new indicator, the bonding ratio (BR), was proposed to characterize the development of pores and cracks in compacted loess during dry–wet cycles, to reflect the impact of dry–wet action on the degradation of bonding between loess aggregates. Finally, according to the results of parameter calibration, the stability analysis model of compacted loess slope under dry–wet cycling was established. The results show that the proposed optimization calibration method can accurately reflect the trend of the stress–strain curve and strength of the actual test results under dry–wet cycles, and the BR also reflects the degradation effect of dry–wet cycles on compacted loess. The slope stability analysis shows that the DEM reflects the negative effect of dry–wet cycles on the safety factor of compacted loess slopes, as well as the trend of gradual stabilization with dry–wet cycles. The comparison with the finite element analysis results verified the accuracy of the discrete element slope stability analysis.

Prediction of Slope Safety Factor Based on Attention Mechanism-Enhanced CNN-GRU

This paper proposes a new method for predicting slope safety factors that combines convolutional neural networks (CNNs), gated recurrent units (GRUs), and attention mechanisms. This method can better capture long-term dependencies, enhance the ability to model sequential data, and reduce the dependence on noisy data, thereby reducing the risk of overfitting. The goal is to improve the accuracy of slope safety factor prediction, detect potential slope stability issues in a timely manner, and take corresponding preventive and control measures to ensure the long-term stability and safety of infrastructure and promote sustainable development. The Pearson correlation coefficient is used to analyze the relationship between the target safety factor and the collected parameters. A one-dimensional CNN layer is used to extract high-dimensional features from the input data, and then a GRU layer is used to capture the correlation between parameters in the sequence. Finally, an attention mechanism is introduced to optimize the weights of the GRU output, enhance the influence of key information, and optimize the overall prediction model. The performance of the proposed model is evaluated using metrics such as the mean absolute error (MAE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), mean squared error (MSE), root-mean-square error (RMSE), and R2. The results show that the CNN-GRU-SE model outperforms the GRU, CNN, and CNN-GRU models in terms of prediction accuracy for slope safety factors, with improvements of 4%, 2%, and 1%, respectively. Overall, the research in this paper makes valuable contributions to the field of slope safety factor prediction, and the proposed method also has the potential to be extended to other time-series prediction fields, providing support for a wide range of engineering applications and further promoting the realization of sustainable development.

Large dump critical zone of interest identification and slope failure prediction using realistic 3D numerical modelling

Dump failure is one of the most catastrophic hazards in the opencast mining industry and involves sudden and violent failures. Therefore, susceptible region identification is essential for slope failure mitigation in the large dump. This study proposed a sustainable approach for large dump critical zone of interest (CZI) identification, stability monitoring and slope failure prediction. UAV close-range photogrammetry survey and structure-from-motion (SfM) approach were used for the dump realistic 3D model reconstruction. 3D numerical modelling was employed for dump stability analysis. In this investigation, the dump critical zone, slope factor of safety (FOS), displacement and slope failure prediction were analysed using the 3D numerical modelling. The results indicate that maximum displacement was found in the critical zone I. However, the dump was stable under static conditions. Dump critical slope failure time is predicted using the inverse velocity method. The results of this investigation are reliable and establish the scope of UAV photogrammetry for realistic 3D modelling. In addition, the slope stability state and failure model were consistent with field observations. The proposed approach can be used for the mine, hill, and roadcut slopes. UAV technology and 3D modelling approaches have substantially reduced data collection time and expense.

Seismic Stability Study of Bedding Slope Based on a Pseudo-Dynamic Method and Its Numerical Validation

Earthquakes are one of the main causes of bedding slope instability, and scientifically and quantitively evaluating seismic stability is of great significance for preventing landslide disasters. This study aims to assess the bedding slope stability under seismic loading and the influences of various parameters on stability using a pseudo-dynamic method. Based on the limit equilibrium theory, a general solution for the dynamic safety factor of bedding slope is proposed. The effects of parameters such as slope height, slope angle, cohesion, internal friction angle, vibration time, shear wave velocity, seismic acceleration coefficient, and amplification factor on stability are discussed in detail. To evaluate the validity of the pseudo-dynamic solution, the safety factors are compared with those given by early cases, and the results show that the safety factors calculated by the present formulation coincide better with those of previous methods. Moreover, a two-dimensional numerical solution of bedding slope based on Mohr–Coulomb’s elastic–plastic failure criterion is also performed by using the finite element procedure, and the minimum safety factor is essentially consistent with the result of the pseudo-dynamic method. It is proved that the pseudo-dynamic method is effective for bedding slope stability analyses during earthquakes, and it can overcome the limitations of the pseudo-static method.

Study on the sliding mechanism of the external dump slope in the open-pit mine with wind-blown sand base

Wind-blow sand (WBS) is widely distributed in the “Desert Gobi” region. This study is aimed at exploring the mechanism of how different thicknesses of the WBS layer influence the slope movement of external dumps in open-pit mines. To achieve this aim, the slope of the external dump in the open-pit mining area of Panel 3 in Daliuta Coal Mine was taken as the research object. First, similar simulation experiments were performed for investigating the failure modes and deformation characteristics of the external dump slopes under three geo-morphological conditions: loess base, 10-m-thick WBS base, and 20-m-thick WBS base, respectively. The following results were obtained from the experiments. For the slope with a loess base, its failure is mainly caused by circular sliding from the dump to the interior of the loess layer. For the slope with a 10-m-thick WBS base, the sliding mode involves circular sliding from the dump area to the interior of the WBS layer, linear sliding along the WBS base, and shearing along the foot of the dump area. For the slope with a 20-m-thick WBS base, the sliding mode is circular sliding from the dump area to the interior of the WBS layer. Besides, the sliding area of the dump slope expands as the WBS layer thickens. Furthermore, the results of similar simulation experiments were verified by the finite difference software FLAC3D based on the strength reduction method, and an equation of relationship between the safety factor of the dump slope with a WBS base and the thickness of the WBS layer was derived.

Uncoupled analysis of piles stabilized transmission tower slopes

It is a common engineering practice to adopt piles to improve the stability of potentially unstable slopes. In this paper, parametric analysis of a homogeneous transmission tower slope stabilized with a row of small diameter steel piles is conducted using an uncoupled numerical method in which the pile response and slope stability are considered separately. The transmission tower slope stability is analyzed using the limit equilibrium solutions, and the stabilizing pile-soil system is modeled as a simple beam on subgrade reaction foundation. Attempts have been made to study the effect of soil property, slope geometry, pile property, pile spacing and pile position on the safety factor of the transmission tower slope stabilized with small diameter steel piles. The study shows that they have a combined effect on the performance of small diameter steel piles to stabilize transmission tower slopes.

Effects of grassland vegetation roots on soil infiltration rate in Xiazangtan super large scale landslide distribution area in the upper reaches of the Yellow River, China

In order to study the infiltration characteristics of grassland soil in the super large scale landslides distribution area in the upper reaches of the Yellow River, this study selected the Xiazangtan super large scale distribution area in Jianzha County as the study area. Through experiments and numerical simulations, plant roots characteristics, soil physical properties and infiltration characteristics of naturally grazed grassland and enclosed grassland with different slope directions were compared and analyzed, and the influence of rainfall on seepage field and stability of the two grassland slopes were discussed. The results show that the highest soil moisture infiltration capacity (FIR) is found on the shady slope of the enclosed grassland (2.25), followed by the sunny slope of the enclosed grassland (1.23) and the shady slope of the naturally grazed grassland (−0.87). Correlation analysis show that soil water content, root dry weight density, total soil porosity, number of forks and root length are positively correlated with infiltration rate (P＜0.05), whereas soil dry density is negatively correlated with infiltration rate (P＜0.05). The results of stepwise regression analyses show that soil water content, total soil porosity, root length and number of forks are the main factors affecting soil infiltration capacity. And the ability of roots to increase soil infiltration by improving soil properties is higher than the effect of roots itself. After 60 min of simulated rainfall, the safety factors of the shady slopes of naturally grazed grassland and enclosed grassland are reduced by 29.56% and 19.63%, respectively, comparing to those before rainfall. Therefore, in this study, the roots play a crucial role in regulating soil infiltration and enhance slope stability by increasing soil water content, soil total porosity and shear strength while decreasing soil dry density. The results of this study provide theoretical evidence and practical guidance for the effective prevention and control of secondary geological disasters such as soil erosion and shallow landslide on the slope of river banks in the study area by using plant ecological measures.

Geotechnical investigation, landslide mechanism and countermeasure on the road above the soft-medium clay

A landslide event occurred in Sukarami, Lahat Regency, in early 2024. This study investigates the landslide mechanism, analyzes the influence of groundwater level rise and load on slope stability, and proposes a management concept. The methodology employed a landslide survey, soil investigation, and limit equilibrium-based stability analysis. Field investigations and surveys revealed that the landslide resulted from a decrease in the shear strength parameter of the surrounding soil layer triggered by rainfall and road drainage runoff. The slip plane, located within a soft to medium consistency clay layer, exhibits high susceptibility to water-induced instability. Numerical simulations demonstrated a negative correlation between groundwater level and slope safety factor, particularly when the water table reaches the critical slip plane. The implementation of a combined gabion, DPT, and minipile reinforcement system can enhance slope stability and elevate the safety factor to meet established standards. Notably, the addition of vehicle loads up to 30 kN/m2 exerted an insignificant influence on slope stability.

Determination of Slope Safety Factor Based on Hoek & Brown Collapse Criteria on Ampera-Surumana Road Section

Introduction: One way to determine whether a slope is stable or not is by using the safety factor criterion. The method to determine the safety factor using the limit equilibrium method. Administratively the research area is located in the village of Salubomba, Central Banawa District, Donggala Regency, Central Sulawesi Province. The results of the study are also expected to be used as one of the basis for planning the design of stable slopes in the area Method: The methods used in this research were qualitative and quantitative. The process in this research was carried out with each method. The process of collecting secondary data and primary data is carried out by Geology and Geological Engineering methods both qualitatively and quantitatively. Results and Discussion: Observations in this study were made in the field in the form of observations of bridging on road slopes. The bruises in the study area are grouped on the basis of their shape and genetics. Through the results of observations and measurements on rock slopes at the research site. Based on data processing on the GEOSTUDIO 2018 R2 software application. Then, the value of the slope safety factor at observation station 1 is 2.316. Conclusion: Based on testing and analysis of the Hoek & Brown collapse criteria method, it can be concluded that the value of the slope safety factor at observation stations 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 is 2.316; 2.029; 1.765; 1.658; 2.622 respectively. At station 4 the level of vulnerability is medium (Landslides can occur), at station 3 is at a low level of vulnerability (Landslides rarely occur), while at stations 1,2 and 5 are at a very low level of vulnerability (Landslides very rarely occur).

Optimization of H-type Anti-slide Pile Support Structure Based on RSM-NSGA-II

The parameters of an h-type anti-slide pile are optimized and analyzed with respect to its structural characteristics. Based on laboratory model tests, further analysis of its stress characteristics is carried out through numerical simulation methods. Then, the response surface methodology (RSM) combined with the NSGAII algorithm was employed to perform multiobjective optimization of the reinforcement performance and engineering cost for h-type anti-slide piles regarding landslide consideration. Finally, the entropy weight TOPSIS method was used for comprehensive evaluation to obtain the optimal structural parameters. The results show that the bending moment distribution of the front and rear rows of h-type piles first increases and then decreases with increasing depth, and the front soil pressure of the pile gradually increases. Using RSM-NSGA-II instead of finite element modeling can shorten the optimization time, and the accuracy of the surrogate model reaches 94.8%. NSGA-II is much stronger than that of the particle swarm optimization algorithm. The entropy weight method combined with the TOPSIS method can obtain the unique optimal solution from the Pareto solution set without prior knowledge. The h-type anti-slide pile with the best structural parameters reduces the cost by 75.19%, while the slope safety factor increases by 47.39%. This method provides a new idea for structural optimization.

A New Numerical Method to Evaluate the Stability of Dike Slope Considering the Influence of Backward Erosion Piping

Backward erosion piping, a soil erosion phenomenon induced by seepage, compromises the stability of water-retaining structures such as dikes. During floods, the seepage in the dike body increases due to high water levels, which directly affects the progression of the piping channel. The formation of the piping channel then impacts the stability of the dike. In this paper, an improved piping model that considers the impact of seepage in the dike body is proposed based on Wewer’s model. Specifically, we added a seepage field of the dike body to the original model to account for the impact of dike-body seepage on the evolution of piping. The seepage field of the dike body is solved using Darcy’s law and the continuity equation for unsaturated porous media. In addition, this approach also incorporates the coupling effect of seepage stress. The accuracy of the model was verified through comparing the calculated results with the IJkdijk experiment and Wewer’s results. The effects of BEP on dike stability were investigated using the proposed improved piping model. The two major conclusions of the study are that (1) the incorporation of unsaturated seepage enhanced the performance of the piping model, allowing it to more accurately simulate the development of pipe length and the changing of pore pressure; and (2) the formation of the pipe impacted dike stability, leading to a substantial reduction in the safety factor of the dike slope.