Research on slope stability assessment methods: a comparative analysis of limit equilibrium, finite element, and analytical approaches for road embankment stabilization

Abstract

In this study, a comprehensive assessment of slope failure risk in man-made slopes was conducted, focusing specifically on the embankments in the excavated regions along the Tibati-Sengbe road in the Adamawa region of Cameroon. The primary objective of this study was to analyze the stability of these slopes and determine the safety factors that should be considered in their stabilization. To achieve this goal, a field survey was conducted to identify and characterize the areas at risk. The stability assessment was performed employing sophisticated numerical methods, including the Limit Equilibrium Method (LEM) utilizing the Bishop Method, the Finite Element Method (FEM) through the Plaxis Method, and the Analytical Method (AM) based on Taylor's Abacus. Ten slopes with homogeneous soil composition but varying geotechnical and geometric properties were selected as the objects for simulations, which were performed using the software packages ROCSCIENCE (Phase 2) for LEM and PLAXIS for FEM. The results indicated a high degree of consistency between the FEM and LEM methodologies, with an R² correlation approaching 1 in their comparison. Nonetheless, the AM yielded conflicting results in 60% of cases, emphasizing the fundamental significance of numerical methods in evaluating slope stability. The findings of this study discredit the effectiveness of analytical methods in determining safety factor calculations and highlight the accuracy and reliability of the FEM and LEM techniques given their consistent results.

References

[1] Abramson LW, Lee TS, Sharma S, Boyce GM. Slope stability concepts: Slope stabilization and stabilization methods, 2001 2 Wiley-Interscience

[2] Akgün H, Koçkar MK. Design of anchorage and assessment of the stability of openings in silty sandy limestone: A case study in Turkey. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, 2004

[3] Bardhan A, Samui P. Application of artificial intelligence techniques in slope stability analysis: A short review and future prospects. International Journal of Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering, 2022

[4] Bishop AW. The use of the slip circle in the stability analysis of slopes. Géotechnique, 1955, 5: 7-17

[5] Bordoni M, Vivaldi V, Lucchelli L, Ciabatta L, Brocca L, GalveMeisina JPC. Development of a data-driven model for spatial and temporal shallow landslide probability of occurrence at catchment scale. Landslides, 2021, 18: 1209-1229

[6] Boufia A. Calcul des ouvrages Géotechnique problème resolu, 2018 Université de saad dahleb

[7] Bromhead E. The stability of slopes, 1992 Spon Press

[8] Chen X, Zhang L, Chen L, Li X, Liu D. Slope stability analysis based on the coupled Eulerian–Lagrangian finite element method. Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment, 2019, 78(6): 4451-4463

[9] Cheng X, Tang H, Qin H, Wu Z, Xie Y. Stress field and stability calculation method for unloading slope considering the influence of terrain. Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment, 2024

[10] Climate Data. (2024). https://fr.climate-data.org/afrique/cameroun-142/

[11] Deris AM, Solemon B, Omar RC. A comparative study of supervised machine. E3S Web of Conferences, 2021

[12] Dur V, Siddique T, Ahamad A, Akhtar W. Correlating circular failure charts limit equilibrium and finite element method based safety factor for circular failure type landslides. Landslide Susceptibility Risk Assessment and Sustainability, 2024

[13] Faure, R. M. (2000). L’évolution des méthodes de calcul de stabilité des pentes partie I: Méthode a la rupture. 4–5, Rev. Fr. Géotech. N° 92, pp. 3–16.

[14] Fellenius, W. (1936). Calculation of stability of earth dam, Transactions 2nd Congress on Large Dams, Washington DC, pp. 445–462.

[15] Fitri Siti N, Wahyuni F. Safety factors investigation based on FEM and LEM approach in toll road embankment slope. Civil Engineering and Architecture, 2022, 10(5): 1948-1966

[16] Huang YH. Slope stability analysis by the limit equilibrium method, 2014 ASCE Publications

[17] Janbu N. Stability analysis of slopes with dimensionless parameters, PhD thesis, Cambridge Massachussetts, Harvard University. 1954.

[18] Lastiasih, P. Y. Tantri. (2015) Slope stability evaluation using Limit Equilibrium Method (LEM) and Finite Element Method (FEM) for Indonesia soft soil, Bali international seminar on science and technology. 51–58.

[19] Lazorenko G, Kasprzhitskii A, Kukharskii A, Kochur A, Yavna V. Failure analysis of widened railway embankment with different reinforcing measures under heavy axle loads: A comparative FEM study. Transportation Engineering, 2020, 2: 1-15

[20] Lotfalian M, Nasiri M, Modarres A, Wu W. Slope stability analysis considering weight of trees and root reinforcement. Journal of Environmental Engineering and Landscape Management, 2019, 27(4): 201-208

[21] Luo Z, Bui XN, Nguyen H, Moayedi H. A novel artificial intelligence technique for analyzing slope stability using PSO-CA model. Engineering with Computers, 2021, 37(1): 1-12

[22] Mamat RC, Samad AM, Kasa A, Razali SF, Ramli A, Omar HC. Slope stability prediction of road embankment on soft ground treated with prefabricated vertical drains using artificial neural network. IAES International Journal of Artificial Intelligence, 2020

[23] Mamat RC, Samad AM, Kasa A, Razali SF, Ramli A, Omar MB. Slope stability prediction of road embankment on soft ground treated with prefabricated vertical drains using artificial neural network. IAES International Journal of Artificial Intelligence, 2020

[24] Mambou Ngueyep LL, Kenmoe Oscar RM, Nkuissi Hervé JT, Kouayep Sylvain L, Nkenwoum Chebou G, Chamgoué AndréMohamadou CI. Comparative analysis of the slope stability using slide and Plaxis 2D software: A case study of Tombel Pozzolan quarry (South-West Cameroon). Environmental Soil Science, 2024

[25] Manga Ngando A, Nouayou R, Charles Tabod T, Manguelle-Dicoum E. Evidence for precambrien faulting in the Tibati-Adamawa region of Cameroun using audiomagnetotelluric method. Geofisica Internacional, 2011, 50(2): 2-8

[26] Moayedi H, Osouli A, Nguyen H, Rashid SA. A novel Harris Hawks’ optimization and K-fold cross-validation predicting slope stability. Engineering with Computers, 2021, 37(1): 1-11

[27] Morgenstern N, Price V. The analysis of the stability of general slip surfaces. Geotechnique, 1965

[28] Nanehkaran YA, Licai Z, Chengyong J, Chen J, Anwar S, Azarafza M, Derakhshani R. Comparative Analysis for Slope Stability by Using Machine Learning Methods. Applied Sciences, 2023, 13: 1555

[29] Nassim, K., & Bilal, S. (2004). Etude de la stabilité et confortement de la cité des 50 logements (MEZGHITANE JIJEL). Mémoire de fin d’étude, Université d’Alger.

[30] NF P 94–070. (1994) Reconnaissance et essais à l’appareil triaxial de révolution.

[31] Rapport mensuel des activités sociaux environnementaux. (2015). https://fr.scribd.com/document/463894880/A18-18-Rapport-de-prefaisabilite

[32] Rotigliano E, Martinello C, Hernandéz MA, Agnesi V, Conoscenti C. Predicting the landslides triggered by the 2009 96E/Ida tropical storms in the Ilopango caldera area (El Salvador, CA): Optimizing MARS-based model building and validation strategies. Environmental Earth Sciences, 2019

[33] Saim Noraida M, Kasa A. Effect of mesh coarseness on slope stability analysis using 2D and 3D finite element method. Jurnal Kejuruteraan, 2024

[34] Salih AG. Stability analysis of residual soil slope model by numerical modeling using. Second International Conference on Geotechnical Engineering, 2021, 856: 1-8

[35] Schmüdderich C. Contributions to the stability assessment of slopes subjected to seismic loading, 2024 PostDoc Position at Ruhr-Universität Bochum

[36] Senapati S. Comparison of LEM and FEM based solution for slope stability. National Conference on Advances in Sustainable Construction, 2020

[37] Sibille, L. (2018). Géotechnique pour le technicien IUT Génie Civil et Construction Durable Module. Hal Open Science, pp. 10–16. https://hal.science/cel-01784592v1

[38] Suman S, Khan SZ, Das SK, et al.. Slope stability analysis using artificial intelligence techniques. Natural Hazards, 2016, 84: 727-748

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

The Author(s)