Join one of our upcoming courses taking place around the world! Explore now
 

Search Results

Slope with Water Table

1.0 Introduction

The simplest 3D slope profile is one with a constant profile.

In this tutorial we will create a simple extruded slope, run the analysis, then add a water table and re-run the analysis.

2.0 Project Settings

Let’s first look at the Project Settings dialog. This allows you to configure the main settings for your analysis.

  1. Select Analysis > Project Settings project settings icon
  2. Select the Units tab. Make sure the Units = Metric, stress as kPa.
  3. Select the Methods tab. We will use the default selected methods (Bishop and Janbu).

    project settings dialog
  4. We will be using the default settings. Select OK or Cancel.

3.0 Geometry

  1. Select the Geometry Workflow tab geometry workflow tab

For the purposes of this tutorial, we will create a 2D slope profile with the Draw Polyline tool using two different methods:

  • Importing a .csv file, and
  • Entering coordinates
  1. Select Geometry > Polyline Tools > Draw Polyline draw polyline icon
  2. We want to define the coordinates of the slope profile in the YZ vertical plane. Since the default setting is set to the XY plane, make sure to select the YZ Plane Orientation option in the sidebar on the left side of the screen.
Draw Polyline Dialog

3.1 Importing a .csv file

  1. Select the Edit Table button in the Coordinate Input area of the sidebar.
  2. The Edit Polyline dialog should open. You can import csv files by selecting Import import icon

    Edit Polyline dialog

  3. You should see the file 'polyline_coordinates.txt' in the tutorial folder. After you've opened the .txt file the Import CSV File dialog appears. Make sure to select Tab in the Data Delimiter dropdown.
  4. You should now see a table of values. Click OK to go back to the Edit Polyline dialog.

  5. Import CSV File dialog

    Now we will delete the polyline coordinates and show how to enter the coordinates manually instead.

  6. To delete the coordinates simply highlight the table and select the Delete Rows icon .

3.2 Entering Coordinates

  1. In the Edit Polyline dialog, select the Append Rows append rows icon button and add 7 rows, then click OK.
  2. Enter the following coordinates in the dialog and select OK:
  3. U

    V

    0

    0

    130

    0

    130

    50

    80

    50

    50

    30

    0

    30

    0

    0

  4. Select the green check mark at the top of the Draw Polyline dialog.
  5. Alternatively, if you were working with the viewports you can right-click the mouse and select Done.
  6. You have now added a 2-dimensional profile of a slope in the YZ plane. Press F2 to view the zoomed images of the polyline.
  7. In the sidebar Visibility pane, select the Polyline entity you have just created.

    Visibility Pane with Polyline Selected
  8. Below the Visibility pane (in the Properties pane) change the Name to Slope Profile.

3.3 Extrude

With the Slope Profile still selected we can extrude it to 3D.

  1. Select Geometry > Extrude/Sweep/Loft Tools > Extrude extrude icon
  2. You will see the Extrude dialog. Select the Close Volume(s) checkbox at the top of the dialog. This ensures that the extruded volume will be closed (i.e. not open-ended).
  3. The Direction is based on the plane of the slope profile. Since we defined the coordinates in the YZ plane, the extrusion direction is the X direction.
  4. Enter Depth = 130.

    Extrude dialog
  5. Selecting the Preview button will update the viewports with the new geometry. Check to see if the extrusion parameters are correct. Click OK.

Your viewports should look as follows.

Model Starting View

3.4 External Volume

Every Slide3 model must have an External volume defined otherwise the extents of the slope geometry will be unknown.

  1. In the Visibility pane select the Slope Profile_extruded entity we have just created.
  2. Select: Geometry > Set as External.

The extruded slope volume is now defined as the External volume (also shown with a Lock icon).

In order to run Compute for any model you must define an External volume. Without an external volume the compute option will be disabled.

3.5 Symmetry

There's one most step we need to take regarding the geometry. To ensure symmetric results for 2D extruded models, you can use the Symmetry option in Project Settings. If the Symmetric Model checkbox is selected, the search results and global minimum slip surface will be constrained to be symmetric along a user-defined vertical plane of symmetry.

  1. Select Analysis > Project Settings project settings icon  and select the Symmetry tab
  2. Select the Symmetric Model checkbox
  3. Enter the following XY values (65,0) for Point1, (65, 130) for Point 2 and select OK.

    Project Settings Dialog - Symmetry Tab

    This defines a line of symmetry in the XY plane down the center of the model.
    Press F2 to Zoom All. If you select the Slip Surfaces tab, you will see the line of symmetry displayed as a white dotted line above the model in the top and perspective views.

    Line of Symmetry Model View

Line of symmetry displayed (white dotted line).

4.0 Define Materials

For the purposes of this tutorial our model will be composed of only one type of material (clay).

  1. Select Materials > Define Materials define materials icon
  2. Enter the following for Material 1:
    • Name = Clay,
    • Unit Weight = 19,
    • Cohesion = 5 kPa, and
    • Phi = 30°

    Material Properties dialog

  3. Click OK.

By default, Material 1 is automatically assigned to all volumes within the External volume.

5.0 Slip Surfaces

We will use following settings in the Slip Surface dialog:

  1. Select Surfaces > Slip Surface Options slip surfaces options icon
  2. Select:
  • Surface Generation Method = Search Method
  • Surface Type = Spline
  • External Geometry Composite Surfaces = OFF
  • Search Method = Particle Swarm Search
  • Surface Altering Optimization = ON

    Slip Surface Options dialog with default settings
The Surface Type and Search Methods are very important features of the Slide3 analysis. These topics and all related topics can be found in Slide3's documentation page.

6.0 Compute

Save the model before computing. Then, run the analysis.

  1. Select Analysis > Compute compute icon
If the Compute option is disabled check that the External volume has been defined.

Compute should only take 2 or 3 minutes for this simple model.

Compute dialog

When the Compute dialog closes you can view the Results.

7.0 Results

  1. To view the results, select the Results Workflow tab results icon

The Global Minimum slip surface for the Bishop analysis will be displayed. The safety factor (FOS) for the Bishop surface is around 1.1.

  1. To view data contours on the slip surface select the Show Contours on the toolbar button .

By default you will see Base Normal Stress contours (i.e. the normal stress on the base of the columns).

Show Contours

  1. To view the Janbu safety factor, select Janbu from the Method dropdown in the toolbar. The Janbu safety factor is about 1.1.

To view other data contours, you can select different options from the Data dropdown menu in the toolbar (e.g. Shear Stress).


Portal Account Log Out Home Shopping Cart icon Click here to search our site Click here to close Learning Tech Support Documentation Info Chevron Delete Back to Top View More" PDF File Calendar Location Language Fees Video Click here to visit Rocscience's LinkedIn page Click here to visit Rocscience's YouTube page Click here to visit Rocscience's Twitter page Click here to visit Rocscience's Facebook page Click here to visit Rocscience's Instagram page Bookmark Network Scroll down for more Checkmark Download Print Back to top Single User Multiple Users RSLog RocFall3 CPillar Dips EX3 RocFall RocPlane RocSupport RocSupport RocTopple RS2 RS3 RSData RSPile Settle3 Slide2 Slide3 SWedge UnWedge Commercial License Education License Trial License Shop safe & secure Money-back guarantee