Slide Model > Slip Surfaces > Circular Surfaces
A Slope Search is one of the Search Methods available in SLIDE for locating the Global Minimum safety factor for CIRCULAR slip surfaces. In order to perform a Slope Search, the Surface Options dialog must be configured as follows:
Surface Type = Circular
Search Method = Slope Search
How Does the Slope Search Work?
The Slope Search method in SLIDE, allows the user to define the search, by defining areas of the slope which will be used to generate slip circles. This is done with the Slope Limits option.
The Slope Limits are used to randomly generate TWO points on the slope, which define the starting and ending points of the slip surface on the slope.
In order to define a slip circle, THREE points are needed. The third point, for each slip circle, is generated using the Initial Angle at Toe.
NOTE: the Slope Search method in SLIDE (for circular surfaces), is very similar to the Path Search method in SLIDE (for non-circular surfaces). In the Slope Search method, the surfaces which are generated, are constrained to be circular, whereas in the Path Search, the resulting surfaces are irregular and non-circular.
For more information on how the Slope Search is used to generate surfaces, please see the Path Search topic, as the basic methodology is very similar.
Slope Search Options
For information about the following Slope Search options:
Composite Surfaces
Create Tension Crack for Reverse Curvature
Minimum Elevation
Minimum Depth
please see the Grid Search topic, as the details are the same.
Using a Focus Object with the Slope Search
With the Slope Search method, you are allowed to define a Focus Object, in order to focus the search to a particular area within the slope. NOTE:
If you use a Focus Object with a Slope Search, then the Initial Angle at Toe option (in the Surface Options dialog) will NOT be used to generate surfaces.
A Focus Object is optional, and does NOT need to be defined for a Slope Search. If a Focus Object is NOT defined, then the Initial Angle at Toe is used to generate the surfaces.
For details about using Focus Objects for a circular surface search, see the Focus Search topic.