Neural network and analytical modeling of slope stability.
Jinggang Cao · SHAREOK (University of Oklahoma; Oklahoma State University; Central Oklahoma University) · 2002
A semi-analytical method is developed for analysis of slope stability involving cohesive and non-cohesive soils. For sandy slopes, a planar slip surface is employed. For clayey slopes, circular slip surfaces are employed including Toe Failure, Face Failure and Base Failure resulting from different locations of a hard stratum. Earthquake effects are considered in an approximate manner in terms of seismic coefficient-dependent forces. The proposed method can be viewed as an extension of the method of slices, but it provides a more accurate treatment of the forces because they are represented in an integral form. Also, the minimum factor of safety is obtained by using the Powell's optimization technique rather than by a trial and error approach used commonly. The results (factor of safety) from the proposed semi-analytical method developed in this study are compared with the solutions by the Bishop method (1952) and the finite element method, and satisfactory agreements are obtained. The proposed method is simpler and more straightforward than the Bishop method and the finite element method. Also, it is found to be as good as or better than traditional slope stability analysis methods.