What are the factors affecting slope stability?

Slope stability is ultimately determined by two factors: the angle of the slope and the strength of the materials on it. In Figure 15.2 a block of rock situated on a rock slope is being pulled toward Earth’s centre (vertically down) by gravity.

What are three factors that contribute to slope stability?

Such factors include: weathering or erosional debris cover on slopes, which is usually liable to mass movement; the character and structure of rocks, such as resistant permeable beds prone to sliding because of underlying impermeable rocks; the removal of the vegetation cover, which increases the slope’s susceptibility …

What causes instability in slopes?

The important causes of failure of slopes and lead to instability are describes below: Erosion of the surface of slopes due to flowing water. The sudden lowering of water adjacent to a slope (Rapid Drawdown) Forces due to earthquakes.

How do you maintain slope stability?

Slopes can be stabilized by adding a surface cover to the slope, excavating and changing (or regrading) the slope geometry, adding support structures to reinforce the slope or using drainage to control the groundwater in slope material.

How human activities influences the slope stability?

Human activities account in various ways for instabilities on slopes: Modified slopes (e,g, due to ski-run construction), deforestation, the construction of highways, hillside housing developments, dams, reser- voirs, drainage and utility structures normally involve the movement of substantial amounts of soil or rock …

How do you know if a slope has stability problems?

Analysis methods If the forces available to resist movement are greater than the forces driving movement, the slope is considered stable. A factor of safety is calculated by dividing the forces resisting movement by the forces driving movement.

How do you know if a slope is stable?

If the forces available to resist movement are greater than the forces driving movement, the slope is considered stable. A factor of safety is calculated by dividing the forces resisting movement by the forces driving movement.

What are the three types of slope failure?

Types of Slope Failures

• Translational Failure.
• Rotational Failure.
• Wedge Failure.
• Compound Failure.

What are the four slope elements?

Characteristics of the slope elements: crest, cliff, talus and pediment.

How do landforms with multiple slopes affect people’s lives and activities?

Landforms affect where people build houses and communities. Many people live on plains because it is easy to travel and to farm on flat land. Other people live in valleys, which are the land between mountains or hills. The soil in valleys is good for farming.

What is the importance of slope stability?

Slope stability is an important consideration in the management of many types of mining operations or civil engineering projects. Slope Stability – By definition, slope stability is a measure of how resistant a natural or man-made slope is to failure due to collapse or sliding.

How are slope failures classified?

The three criteria used to describe slope failures are: The type of material that failed (typically either bedrock or unconsolidated sediment) The mechanism of the failure (how the material moved) The rate at which it moved.

What are some factors that affect slope stability of earth dam?

Some factors affect the slope stability for the earth dam such as change the water level in the reservoir or rapid drawdown of the water level. In the present study, limit equilibrium methods and finite element method have been used to calculate the factor of safety of earth dam.

How is the stability of a slope determined?

The analysis is repeated for a large number of trial slip surfaces and corresponding factors of safety are determined. The minimum factor of safety so obtained is taken as the factor of safety of the d/s slope during steady seepage and the corresponding trial slip surface is the critical slip surface. 2.

How does seepage affect the slope of an earth dam?

However, on the d/s side, the seepage forces are directed outward and hence aid the gravity forces in decreasing the stability of the d/s slope. The steady seepage condition is therefore critical for the d/s slope of the earth dam.

Which is the minimum required factor of safety for earth dams?

The minimum required of factor of safety for earth dams equal (1.3) for upstream slope(1). Calculated the values of factor of safety of downstream and upstream slope for (NIAN) dam in IRAN for end construction. And the values of factor of safety of upstream slope for sudden drop in water level (rapid drawdown).