PARAMETRIC STUDY OF STABILITY OF EMBANKMENTS

Abstract

The project work focuses on stability of embankment with the Limit Equilibrium Method computer program Slope/W. The parametric study of stability of embankments have been analysed with this software. The basic parameters like friction angle, cohesion etc. are needed when we use limit equilibrium method while in finite element method additional parametric information are needed regarding the potential performance of a slope. Depicting the result it is mandatory to use the effective shear strength characterization of the soil while we perform the stability analysis. A division should be made between drained and undrained strength of cohesive soil. Drained condition are the condition where drainage is allowed, while undrained condition are the condition where drainage is constrained .The worst case occurs when the river water level is increased speedily, and then quickly goes down while the water table in the embankment is retained on an tremendously high level so that the low effective stresses might lead to failure. In Slope/W analysis we consider critical slip surface failure. At different slope factor of safety is calculated and each time one parameter is kept variable and others are kept constant to get the effect of that parameter on factor of safety.