Slope stability analysis
SLOPE/W is the leading slope stability software for soil and rock slopes. SLOPE/W can effectively analyze both simple and complex problems for a variety of slip surface shapes, pore-water pressure conditions, soil properties, and loading conditions.
With this comprehensive range of features, SLOPE/W can be used to analyze almost any slope stability problem you will encounter in your geotechnical, civil, and mining engineering projects.
Key Features
Pore-Water Pressure
Pore-water pressures can be defined using piezometric lines, spatial functions, or the results from other GeoStudio finite element analyses. Values can be displayed as contours on the geometry to reveal PWP values used in the analysis.
Rapid Drawdown
Rapid drawdown analysis can be conducted using the pore-water pressures defined using piezometric lines, transient finite element GeoStudio analyses, or the multi-stage rapid drawdown technique.
Material Models
SLOPE/W supports a comprehensive list of material models including Mohr-Coulomb, undrained, high strength, impenetrable, bilinear, anisotropic strength, SHANSEP, spatial Mohr-Coulomb and more.
Limit State Design
Limit state design or load resistance factor design is handled by specifying partial factors on permanent/variable loads, seismic coefficients, material properties, reinforcement inputs and more.
Solutions
SLOPE/W can model a comprehensive range of stability problems
Eurocode Design Case
SLOPE/W can be used to complete a stability analysis with the objective being to check an ultimate limit state in accordance with various limit state design approaches such as Eurocode 7, Norwegian Standard NS 3480, and British Standard 8006. The stability analysis is completed with partial factors applied to characteristic loads and soil strength parameters.
James Bay Case History
This article looks at the SLOPE/W probabilistic analysis capabilities relative to the James Bay hydroelectric project. It required the construction of fifty kilometers of dykes on soft and sensitive clay. Divergent views were prevalent regarding the selection of safety factors and strength properties. The project has consequently become an important and often-cited case history.
Reinforcement with Anchors
The purpose of this illustrative example is to show how anchors can be used to improve the stability of a system. Features of this simulation include: Spencer analysis method, homogenous material using the Mohr Coulomb soil model, a dry slope with no pore-water pressure, two sloping anchors, and the entry and exit slip surface option.
Stability of an MSE Wall
Mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls are structures for retaining the earth under bridges, highways, and waterfront properties, to name a few. Designing a MSE wall requires consideration of the geometric configuration and reinforcement requirement to ensure both internal and external stability.
SLOPE/W’s intuitive modeling workflow
- Create problem workspace and analysis properties
- Draw or import domain regions from a CAD program
- Define material properties and pore-water pressure
- Define loading conditions and reinforcement
- Define a set of trial slip surfaces
- Solve your analyses
- Display computed slip surfaces as a color map
- View slip surface details, generate plots and reports
