Stability Charts for Homogenous Soil Slopes

Stability charts for homogenous soil slopes are still routinely used in practice to determine the safety factor. A new graphical approach is employed to produce a set of stability charts that eliminates any iterative process when calculating the safety factor and can provide the type of failure mode. Stability charts are presented based on the limit equilibrium method, and effects of pore water pressure and a slow-drawdown reservoir process are considered approximately. These charts are quite simple and straightforward to use in engineering evaluation of homogeneous slopes. Two examples are presented to illustrate the use of the slope stability charts and the reliability of the limit equilibrium method, respectively. Finally, the work is extended to establish the relationships between probability of failure and the development of reservoir drawdown.