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Wedge Size
By default, the wedge size is determined by the Slope Height entered in the Input Data dialog. The Slope Height is a required input parameter, and determines the maximum wedge size for a slope, if no other scaling parameters are specified.
In addition to the Slope Height, there are several other options which allow you to define or limit the size of wedges. These include:
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Wedge Size: Slope Length
The Slope Length is an optional input parameter, which can be used to limit or scale the wedge size according to the length of the slope. If the Slope Length is NOT specified, then Swedge assumes that the length dimension of the slope is sufficient to accommodate the maximum wedge size computed for the slope (i.e. by default, the Slope Length is unlimited).
Definition of Slope Length used for wedge sizing in Swedge
Specifying a Slope Length is recommended for a Probabilistic or Combination analysis, to ensure that extremely large wedges are not generated parallel to the slope.
For more information see the Slope Length topic in the Swedge help system.
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Wedge Size: Bench Width
The Bench Width is an optional input parameter, which can be used to limit or scale the wedge size according to bench width (i.e. the width of the Upper Face slope plane). The Bench Width is measured as the horizontal distance from the crest of the slope, even if the Upper Face has a non-zero dip.
Definition of Bench Width (top view of slope)
Enabling the Bench Width option is recommended for a Probabilistic or Combination analysis, to ensure that extremely large wedges are not generated in the direction of the Upper Face.
For more information see the Bench Width topic in the Swedge help system.
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Wedge Size: Scale Wedge
The Scale Wedge option allows you to scale the size of wedges according to Joint Trace Length, Joint Persistence, Wedge Volume or Weight.
Scale wedge dialog
Wedge size scaled down according to joint trace length
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Wedge Size: Minimum Wedge Size
The Minimum Wedge Size option allows you to exclude (filter out) the analysis of very small wedges which may be generated by a Probabilistic or Combinations analysis. Any wedges which weigh less than the minimum wedge weight will be discarded from the analysis, and will not be included in the final analysis results.
This option is useful because very small "wedges" can sometimes give misleading analysis results (e.g. very low or high safety factors), and may be difficult to see on the model (e.g. typically very thin slivers). In general it is larger wedges which are of importance in an Swedge stability analysis.
Minimum wedge size option (probabilistic analysis)
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Wedge Size: Persistence Analysis
Joint Persistence Analysis is a feature of the Swedge Probabilistic Analysis, which allows you to define statistical distributions for joint persistence. For a given wedge size, randomly generated values of persistence are used as a filter to determine if a wedge can actually form.
The Persistence Analysis can be applied to the maximum wedge size, or to a randomly generated wedge size. The random variation of wedge size simulates the random variation of the wedge location (i.e. the intersection of two joint planes may daylight anywhere on a slope face).
Input dialog for Persistence analysis
For more information see the Persistence Analysis topic in the Swedge help system.
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