The Assessment Of Slopes Stability With Probability Methods

Abstract

This paper aims to deal with the assessment of the stability of slopes, taking inconsideration several methods for analysis:- the limit equilibrium methods such as the Infinitive Slope method, Bishop's simplifiedmethod etc. upon which assumptions are made on the considered failure surface and theinternal forces interacting between the blocks, the equilibrium equations to be satisfied, theunknown variables to be determined (such as the safety factor and normal force) and the areaswithin which these methods could apply.- the probability methods in which the coefficient of variation of the factor of safety(COVF) is determined, (as the ratio of standard deviation to the mean coefficient of the safetyfactor, previously calculated), reliability R (as the probability of a certain case occurring in acertain way, at a certain time, in given conditions), the probability of failure Pf (as 1-R).Following the theoretical analysis, a number of numerical examples are included in order to illustrate in a more explicit manner the methodology used for the application of the assessment methods mentioned above, as well as to highlight the particularities and differences of each method.