A Hybrid Slope Stability Analysis Method with its Application to Reinforced Slope Cutting

ABSTRACT To remove some weak points of the limit equilibrium slope stability method, the authors have tried so far to develop a hybrid slope stability analysis method, in which stress and strain developed in a slope are determined by the finite element method, while the basic concept of the limit equilibrium method is adopted in the overall stability analysis. In this paper, first, the theory behind the hybrid slope stability analysis method is presented, together with the comparison of the proposed hybrid method and the conventional Bishop’s method. Then, reinforcement mechanism and stability characteristics of the reinforced slope cutting are examined through numerical examples by the proposed method. Finally, practical application of the proposed method to an in-situ reinforcement slope stabilization project is presented. In consequence, the applicability and simplicity of the proposed method to the practical design works of reinforcement slope stabilization are demonstrated in success.