Slope stability problems in geotechnical and geo-environmental engineering involve the solution of equilibrium equations of force and moment. This is traditionally accomplished through traditional method of slices techniques or more progressive stress-based methods. SVSLOPE implements a wide variety of both limit equilibrium methods as well as newer stress-based methods. The classic Bishops, Sarma, Ordinary, Spencers, Morgenstern-Price, GLE, and US Army Corps of Engineers methods are implemented.
The method of slices involves calculating the forces at the base of each slice by the weight of the slice and its height. The newer stress-based techniques use the finite element method in order to calculate more detailed information related to the stresses in the slope. With the finite element-based approach it is possible to represent more complex stress conditions in the slope. The SVSOLID software may be used in order to calculate the finite element stresses in a particular slope.
The user enters geometry, material properties, and analysis constraints (such as searching methodologies) through a CAD-type graphical user interface (GUI). The results may also be viewed in the context of a graphical user interface. The geometry is simply entered as regions which may be drawn, pasted in from Excel, or imported from AutoCAD DXF files. The factor of safety for a specific failure surface is computed as the forces driving failure along the surface divided by the shear resistance of the soils along the surface.[1]
SVSLOPE implements a number of different searching algorithms to identify the critical slip surface. Algorithms for determining both circular and non-circular critical slip surfaces are implemented. Specified slip surfaces can also be employed.
A library of slope stability benchmark models are distributed with the software.[2]