Global search for critical failure surface in slope stability analysis

Soil slope stability problems in engineering works are often analyzed using limiting equilibrium methods. A number of methods are based on the method of vertical slices in which assumptions about the geometry of the failure surface are made. For homogeneous soils the assumed failure surface is often of a regular shape, but for a layered profile the shape of the failure is more complex, making it difficult to find the critical failure surface. This paper describes the use of a global optimization algorithm for determining the critical failure surface in slope stability analyses. An important feature of this new method is that no assumptions are required with regards to the geometry of the failure surface and no restrictions are placed on the positions of the initiation and termination point. As a result the solution is completely general. Janbu's simplified method and Spencer's method are used to demonstrate the new approach of formulating this programming problem.