Import Slide File

The Import Slide File option allows you to import a Slide model into Phase2.

Slide is a 2D limit equilibrium slope stability program available from Rocscience, see the Rocscience website for information. The Slide program interface and modeling procedures are very similar to Phase2. The two programs can be used as complementary methods of analyzing the same slope stability problem.

After importing a Slide model, you can run a finite element stress analysis in Phase2, and with the finite element slope stability feature of Phase2 using the Shear Strength Reduction method, you can compare limit equilibrium and finite element results for the same slope model.

To import a Slide model into Phase2:

  1. In the Phase2 Model program, select Import Slide from the Import sub-menu of the File menu.

  2. You will see an Open File dialog. Select the Slide file that you wish to import, and select Open. Slide files have an .SLI filename extension.

  3. You will see the Slide Import Options dialog. This allows you to choose various options related to the import of the Slide file. Use the checkboxes to select the following:

Turn on Strength Reduction

This will automatically enable the Strength Reduction option in the Project Settings dialog, so that a finite element slope stability analysis will be performed when you select Compute.

Import Groundwater Mesh

Both Slide and Phase2 have finite element groundwater seepage analysis built into the program. If your Slide model includes finite element groundwater seepage analysis, then you can import the existing Slide mesh into Phase2 by selecting this checkbox.

Automatically Generate Mesh

If you select this checkbox, the finite element mesh will be automatically generated for your Slide model. NOTE: if you are importing the mesh from a Slide (groundwater) model (see above), then this option cannot be used. You can only choose one of these two checkboxes.

Automatically Generate Boundary Conditions

If this checkbox is selected, then Phase2 will automatically generate boundary conditions for your Slide model, which are appropriate for use with the Shear Strength Reduction slope stability analysis in Phase2. The boundary conditions are the displacement (restraint) boundary conditions on the External boundary, and generally consist of fixed (zero displacement) conditions on the lower edge of the model, vertical rollers on the left and right edges, and free conditions (no restraint) on the slope (ground) surface. The automatic boundary conditions work for most cases, but may require customization by the user in some cases.

If this checkbox is OFF, then Phase2 will apply fixed boundary conditions to the entire External boundary of your Slide model, and you will have to manually apply the desired boundary conditions.

  1. Select OK in the Slide Import Options dialog, and the Slide file will be imported into Phase2, according to the selections you have made in the dialog. Notice that the Slide filename is preserved, but the filename extension (in Phase2) is .FEZ. When you Save the imported file it will be saved as a Phase2 file.

  2. For details about how the various Slide modeling options are imported or converted into Phase2 modeling options, see the section below - How Slide Modeling Options are Imported into Phase2.

  3. If you select Compute, the Phase2 stress analysis will be carried out. If the first checkbox was selected in the dialog in Step 3, then the finite element slope stability analysis will be computed as well. See the Shear Strength Reduction topic for more information.

Import a Slide File with the Open File option

A Slide file can also be imported into Phase2 with the Open file option in the File menu.

  1. Select File > Open in the Phase2 Model program.

  2. In the Open File dialog, set Files of Type = Slide File Format (*.sli).

  3. Open a Slide file and follow the steps described above.

How Slide Modeling Options are Imported into Phase2

Most of the modeling options in a Slide model can be imported into Phase2. However, certain Slide options cannot be imported into Phase2 at the present time. In some cases Phase2 may have to substitute default data for input, in particular, some of the Slide material shear strength options.