Analysis Type

The type of analysis conducted on your RocTopple model is determined by the Analysis Type selection in the General tab of the Project Settings dialog. To open the tab:

• Select Project Settings on the toolbar or on the Analysis menu.

The available options are:

• Deterministic (the default)
• Probabilistic

Deterministic Analysis

In a Deterministic analysis, it is assumed that all input parameters are "exactly" known (e.g., orientations, shear strength, loads etc.). For this analysis, RocTopple computes a single Factor of Safety for the slope.

Probabilistic Analysis

In a Probabilistic analysis, statistical information can be entered to account for uncertainty in slope orientations, shear strength, and other parameters. The result is a Factor of Safety distribution from which a Probability of Failure is calculated. For more help, see Overview of a Probabilistic Analysis in RocTopple.

NOTE: For help on the Sampling Method used in a Probabilistic analysis, see Probabilistic Analysis Sampling Method in RocTopple.

Sensitivity Analysis

Regardless of the selected Analysis Type, you can carry out a Sensitivity analysis by varying individual parameters across a range of values and calculating the Factor of Safety for each value. For more help, see Overview of a Sensitivity Analysis in RocTopple.