Abstract
Slope stability has been a long-standing problem in geotechnical practice. The difficulty in analyzing slope stability may be attributed to geological complexity and versatile environments, but the limitations of analysis methods should not be ignored. In this work, the conventional limit equilibrium methods and the FE stress-based limit equilibrium methods with special emphasis on their limitations are reviewed, and the advantages of the finite element method with the capability of strength reduction are pointed out and illustrated by using some slope examples. Particularly, a flowchart of decision tree on selecting single-grid or two-grid search scheme is proposed for the shear strength reduction finite element method of slope stability analysis. Based on some slope examples, it is demonstrated that the automatic selection or switch between the single-grid scheme and the two-grid scheme can be remarkably superior to the single mesh scheme from the perspectives of computational cost and software development.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Britto AM, Gunn MJ (1987) Critical state soil mechanics via finite elements. Ellis Horwood, Chichester
Chakraborti S, Konietzky H, Walter K (2012) A comparative study of different approaches for factor of safety calculations by shear strength reduction technique for non-linear Hoek–Brown failure criterion. Geotech Geol Eng 30(4):925–934
Chen X, Liu CJ (2011) Staged development of finite element methods for stability of unsaturated soil slopes. Chin J of Geotech Eng 33(S1):381–384 (in Chinese)
Chen X, Toh KC, Phoon KK (2006) A modified SSOR preconditioner for sparse symmetric indefinite linear systems of equations. Int J Numer Meth Eng 65(6):785–807
Chen X, Wu Y, Yu Y, Liu J, Xu XF, Ren J (2014a) A two-grid search scheme for large-scale 3-D finite element analyses of slope stability. Comput Geotech 62:203–215
Chen X, Jie Y, Liu J (2014b) Robust partitioned block preconditioners for large-scale geotechnical applications with soil-structure interactions. Int J Numer Anal Methods Geomech 38(1):72–91
Cheng YM, Lansivaara T, Wei WB (2007) Two-dimensional slope stability analysis by limit equilibrium and strength reduction methods. Comput Geotech 34:137–150
Fredlund DG, Scoular REG (1999) Using limit equilibrium concepts in finite element slope stability analysis. In: International symposium on slope stability engineering, pp 31–47
Geo-Slope International Ltd. (2010) Stability modeling with SLOPE/W 2007 version, 4th edn. http://www.ottegroup.com/manuals/SLOPEW%202007%20engineering%20book.pdf
Griffiths DV, Lane PA (1999) Slope stability analysis by finite elements. Géotechnique 49(3):387–403
Griffiths DV, Marquez RM (2007) Three-dimensional slope stability analysis by elasto-plastic finite elements. Géotechnique 57(6):537–546
Huang M, Jia CQ (2009) Strength reduction FEM in stability analysis of soil slopes subjected to transient unsaturated seepage. Comput Geotech 36(1–2):93–101
Huang M, Wang H, Sheng D, Liu Y (2013) Rotational–translational mechanism for the upper bound stability analysis of slopes with weak interlayer. Comput Geotech 53:133–141
Kim JY, Lee SR (1997) An improved search strategy for the critical slip surface using finite element stress fields. Comput Geotech 21(4):295–313
Kim J, Salgado R, Lee J (2002) Stability analysis of complex soil slopes using limit analysis. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng ASCE 128(7):546–557
Krahn J (2003) The 2001 RM Hardy lecture: the limits of limit equilibrium analyses. Can Geotech J 40(3):643–660
Liu Y, Wang C, Yang Q (2012) Stability analysis of soil slope based on deformation reinforcement theory. Finite Elem Anal Des 58:10–19
Matsui T, San K (1992) Finite element slope stability analysis by shear strength reduction technique. Soils Found 32(1):59–70
Phoon KK, Tan TS, Chong PC (2007) Numerical simulation of Richards equation in partially saturated porous media: under-relaxation and mass balance. Geotech Geol Eng 25(5):525–541
Plaxis Inc. (2012) Phi–c reduction and comparison with Bishop’s method. Validation and verification. Plaxis. https://www.plaxis.com/support/verifications/phi-c-reduction-and-comparison-with-bishops-method/
Sheng D, Zhou A, Fredlund DG (2011) Shear strength criteria for unsaturated soils. Geotech Geol Eng 29(2):145–159
Sloan SW (2013) Geotechnical stability analysis. Géotechnique 63(7):531–571
Smith IM, Griffiths DV (2014) Programming the finite element method, 5th edn. Wiley, Hoboken
Ugai K (1989) A method of calculation of total factor of safety of slopes by elasto-plastic FEM. Soils Found 29(2):190–195
Zienkiewicz OC, Humpheson C, Lewis RW (1975) Associated and nonassociated visco-plasticity and plasticity in soil mechanics. Géotechnique 25(4):671–689. doi:10.1680/geot.1975.25.4.671
Acknowledgements
The research is supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, No.2016JBM043.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chen, X., Ren, J. & Liu, J. Analysis of Slope Stability and Software Development Based on Single-Grid and Two-Grid Finite Element Methods. Geotech Geol Eng 35, 1369–1382 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-017-0182-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-017-0182-3