New methods of analysis for stability of heterogenous slopes

Abstract

The stability of soil and rock masses has been so far calculated either assuming the limit equilibrium of part of mass sliding as rigid body or calculating internal stress and deformation using, in general, non linear models. ln the paper the first method is generalized to one sliding surface to any configuration of sliding blocks with cohesion and friction at contact points; in the second method a elasto-visco-plastic model is applied using the finite elements method. The coefficient of safety calculated in this case by mathematical programming can be compared with that calculated by the finite elements method using the same strenght characteristics (friction and cohesion).