International Journal for Numerical and Analytical Methods in Geomechanics

A framework alternative to that of classical slope stability analysis is developed, wherein the soil mass is treated as a continuum and in-situ soil stresses and strengths are computed accurately using inelastic "nite element methods with general constitutive models. Within this framework, two alternative methods of stability analysis are presented. In the "rst, the strength characteristics of the soil mass are held constant, and the gravitational loading on the slope system is increased until failure is initiated by well-de"ned mechanisms. In the second approach, the gravity loading on the slope system is held constant, while the strength parameters of the soil mass are gradually decreased until well-de"ned failure mechanisms develop. Details on applying both of the proposed methods, and comparisons of their characteristics on a number of solved example problems are presented. Copyright ( 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.