2005 Volume 42 Issue 1 Pages 8-16
This paper first shows that in a uniform slope with a given pore water pressure distribution the location of the critical slip surface for a particular method of slices is dependent only upon the c'/ tan φ' ratio of that slope. Then, two representative types of slope profiles with a rotational sliding mode are presented to model actual slope failures, and two dimensionless parameters are introduced for each of the two slope models. Charts showing the relationship between these two parameters are obtained for typical slope inclinations and three different values of the pore pressure ratio. Using the charts and the safety factor equation of a method of slices, a unique pair of (c', φ') values can be rapidly determined based on the failure surface in a uniform slope. The proposed method is demonstrated on the results back calculated from two well-documented failed slopes.
