Validation of the log-spiral curve for slope stability of frictional soils
Validation of the log-spiral curve for slope stability of frictional soils
For studying slope stability problems, the circular failure surface is the most currently adopted in geotechnical engineering, dependent less of the soil failure parameters. However, in the limit analysis framework, it is well stated, when performing the kinematic approach, that the construction of failure mechanisms inducing discontinuities of velocity along curved surfaces, necessitates to use the log-spiral curve to make the application of the kinematic theorem possible. After loading tests carried out on slope compacted sand laboratory models, the observed failure surfaces were quite different from circle arches. For three test models, the observed failure surface fits well with the equation of a log-spiral for which the geometrical parameters were identified. And, then, the application of the kinematic theorem permitted to obtain upper bounds values of the failure load that fairly agrees with the experimental values. This paper presents the validation of the log-spiral curves for frictional soils and shows that the circular failure surface overestimates the observed failure load.
Mounir Bouassida; Said Djelabi; Hatem Karoui
18th African Regional Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ARCSMGE2024)
Slopes, embankment and retaining
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