VII.

Coupled
p
Analysis
y

Seepage Stress Coupled Analysis

Seepage
p g Slope
p Coupled
p
Analysis
y

Slope Stability Analysis reflecting Rainfall Intensity

SoilWorks

00. Table of Contents

Seepage

01. Learning Objective

02. Overview

1.
2
2.
3.
4.

Overview of Seepage-Slope Coupled Analysis

Backgro nd to Seepage through
Background
thro gh Unsaturated
Unsat rated Slope
Coupled Analysis using SoilWorks
Composition of Modeling

03. Set Work Environment & Define Material Properties

1. Start Soilworks / Import File

2. Define Ground Properties (Permeability Coefficients, Unsaturated
Properties)

04. Modeling

10

1. Create Surface & Assign Material Properties

2. Generate Mesh (Input Seed Data)
3. Define Seepage Boundary Conditions

05. Analysis
1.
2.
3.
4.

Define Construction Stages Define Time Steps

Define Analysis Case
Analysis
Analysis of Seepage Analysis Results

06. Coupled Analysis

1.
1
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

14

19

Convert to Slope Module

Other Analysis Result Loading
Define Ground Material Properties
Define Boundary Conditions (Define Arc Failure Surfaces)
Define Analysis Case (Couple Results)
Analysis

07 Analysis
07.
Anal sis of Results
Res lts

24

1. Analysis of Results

08. Analysis Guide

2 | Coupled Analysis

25

Slope

Seepage

Slope

From
o tthiss tuto
tutorial,
a , tthe
e use
user will u
understand
de sta d tthe
e workflow
o o assoc
associated
ated with
t c
checking
ec g s
slope
ope stab
stability
ty in
relation to seepage-slope coupled analysis. The user will also learn the use of various basic
functions of SoilWorks in the process, which involves numerical analysis for slope stability. Result
analysis and report generation will be also covered.
The workflow of seepage-slope coupled analysis in SoilWorks is as follows:

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SoilWorks

01. Learning Objective

STEP 01

Import the CAD model for the targeted

geometry for analysis

STEP 02

Create surfaces & assign material properties

STEP 03

Auto-generate mesh

STEP 04

Assign boundary conditions

(Seepage module)

STEP 05

Execute analysis

STEP 06

Extract water pressure results at each stage

STEP 07

Assign boundary conditions

(Slope module)

STEP 08

Execute analysis

STEP 09

Analyze results & generate reports

[Workflow in SoilWorks]

Slope Stability Analysis reflecting Rainfall Intensity | 3

SoilWorks

02. Overview

Seepage

Slope

1 O
1.
Overview
i
off Seepage-Slope
S
Sl
Coupled
C
l d Analysis
A l i
Slope design has been carried out often with the safety factor of 1.2 for the rainy season and 1.5
for the dry season. Slope analysis for the rainy season has been also often based on the
assumption that the water level is at the ground surface or 3m below the ground level, which has
been proven to be conservative through research on the behavior of slopes under the condition of
rainfall seepage. This has resulted in a growing trend of undertaking detail analysis of seepage
reflecting
fl ti th
the reall rainfall
i f ll events
t whose
h
results
lt are th
then used
d tto analyze
l
th
the safety
f t ffactor
t off the
th
slope under the rainfall condition.

2. Background to Seepage through Unsaturated Slope

Instability of a slope in unsaturated soils is closely related to rainfall. The slope instability
increases with the reduction in shear strength caused by the increase in water content in the
unsaturated soils due to seepage of the rainfall
rainfall. Therefore
Therefore, the presence of negative pore water
pressure and its magnitude are very important for the stability of an unsaturated slope.
Seepage due to rainfall or development of a wetting front leads to formation of a perched water
table and raises the underground water level. Also, the seepage induces an increase in positive
pore water pressure or a decrease in negative pore water pressure. Such a phenomenon causes
a reduction in shear strength
g in the p
potential failure surface leading
g to eventual failure.
Unlike common belief that slope failure under rainfall is attributed to global sliding in the slope
due to an increase in pore water pressure caused by a rise in the underground water level,
research and failure cases mainly point to shallow slope failure. It has been identified that a rise
in underground water level under concentrated torrential rainfall is not significant. Rather the
wetting front due to seepage reaches the critical depth (wetting depth) causing the shallow slope
failure. Accordingly, stability analysis for the surface layer part in the slope due to rainfall seepage
becomes necessary.
The Darcy's Law is classically used for 1D seepage, which is used to calculate the wetting depth
of a slope surface. This theory assumes that the seepage into the ground due to rainfall takes
place in one dimensional vertical flow in the gravity direction. For stability analysis of a slope
surface layer, the wetting depth is calculated for which Wetting Band Method, Pradel & Raad

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Method, Mein & Larson Method, etc are used.

4 | Coupled Analysis

Rainfall
Absorption by vegetation
Seepage of rainfall
Surface runoff

Underground water level prior to rainfall

Rise in underground water level due to rainfall
Fl
Flow
in
i lateral
l t
l direction
di ti
(development of pore water pressure)

[Schematic diagram of developing wetting front due to rainfall]

Seepage

Slope

3 Coupled
3.
C
l d Analysis
A l i using
i
SoilWorks
S ilW k
1) Seepage Analysis
Seepage analysis in SoilWorks is classified into steady state analysis (boundary conditions
within and outside of the ground remain constant with time) and transient analysis (boundary
conditions within and outside of the ground change with time).
time) Similar to other general
purpose finite element programs, SoilWorks handles seepage analysis as boundary variant
problems. That is, the user specifies the parameters at the outer boundary lines of the
model, which are used to calculate variables within the model. The following three ways of
specifying the parameters are used in SoilWorks for seepage analysis:

Nodal water head: water heads at nodes are specified (total water head, pressure water
head)
Nodal flux/Surface flux: water flow quantities at nodes or surfaces are specified
Re-check boundary based on seepage condition: when the line of saturation is unknown

(1) Nodal water head

After selecting specific nodes, the boundary condition is assigned in the form of total water
head or pressure water head. The total water head value is entered relative to the origin
irrespective of the model location. For specifying the pressure water head, 0 is specified at
the nodes corresponding to the ground water surface.
SoilWorks can simulate confined flow in which a phreatic surface does not take place due to
seepage into the model and unconfined flow in which a line of saturation is developed due to
seepage. In each case, the method of applying the nodal water head is different. In the
case of unconfined flow in which the line of saturation needs to be determined, the drainage
and the condition for re-checking the boundary must be accurately considered.

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SoilWorks

02. Overview

Phreatic surface

[Examples of specifying water head]

Slope Stability Analysis reflecting Rainfall Intensity | 5

SoilWorks

02. Overview

Seepage

Slope

3. Coupled Analysis using SoilWorks

(2) Nodal flux/Surface flux
Nodal flux/Surface flux are boundary conditions, which are used to specify inflow or outflow
of water at specific nodes or element surfaces. In case of nodal flux, flow quantity per unit
time is specified. In case of surface flux, the input is based on the flow quantity per unit time
divided by the element area. The positive sign represents an inflow (due to rain), and the
negative sign represents an outflow (due to excavation or pumping).

(3) Re-check boundary based on seepage condition

y conditions change
g through
g a flow p
process in some types
yp of seepage
p g analyses.
y
Boundary
For example, if seepage is assumed to take place at the down-stream surface of a dam
consisted of a homogeneous material, then the location of the line of saturation intersecting
the down-stream surface of the dam is unknown. In order to specify a modified boundary
condition, an iterative calculation process is required as is done for solving nonlinear finite
element equations.
equations

All the nodes along the boundaries specified as unknown modified boundaries are assigned
to be re-checked, which must be initially defined as the boundary condition of a flux type.
The Re-check boundary function can be simply specified by checking on the option in the
input window for Nodal flux/Surface flux.
flux

Nodes to be re-checked

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[Specifying nodes to be re-checked (example)]

6 | Coupled Analysis

2) Stress-seepage coupled analysis

In SoilWorks, seepage analysis and stress analysis are independently performed, and then
pore water pressure can be reflected through the Other Analysis Result Loading function
as follows:
Seepage
module

Steady
flow analysis

Unsteady
flow
analysis

Other
Analysis
Result
Loading

Loading

Ground
module

Pore
water pressure

Stress
analysis

[Workflow of Coupled Analysis]

SoilWorks

02. Overview

Seepage

Slope

4 C
4.
Composition
iti
off M
Modeling
d li
Rainfall intensity is specified at the ground surface, and changes in the initial water level due to
the duration of intensive rainfall is checked through seepage analysis. The Slope Module is
subsequently engaged in to couple with the seepage analysis results to perform slope stability
analysis during the duration of intensive rainfall. The model and the ground properties are defined
as follows:
1)

Composition of Modeling
Weathered Soil

Weathered Rock

Soft Rock

[Composition of Modeling]

2) Material Properties
Ground Properties (Seepage Module)

Input

for

No

Ground Type

Horizontal Permeability
Coefficient (Kh)
(m/day)

Vertical Permeability
Coefficient (Kv)
(m/day)

Weathered soil

0.504

0.504

material

properties
ti
i SoilWorks
in
S ilW k

Weathered rock

is optimized to suit each

Soft rock

individually.
seepage
saturated

2 54 10
2.54

2 54 10-3
2.54

3.86 10-5

3.86 10-5

module

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analysis

-3

For

module,

ground

Ground Properties (Slope Module)

permeability coefficients,
water

content

unsaturated

and

No

Ground Type

Model Type

Unit Weight
(kN/m3)

Saturated Unit
Weight
(kN/m3)

Cohesion
(kN/m2)

Internal
Friction Angle
(degree)

Weathered soil

Mohr Coulomb

18.5

19.5

30

Weathered rock

Mohr Coulomb

21

22

50

32

Soft rock

Mohr Coulomb

24

25

100

38

properties

can be defined.

Slope Stability Analysis reflecting Rainfall Intensity | 7

SoilWorks

03. Set Work Environment & Define Material Properties

Seepage

1 Start SoilWorks / Import File

1.
Import a CAD file, which has been already prepared for analysis.
SoilWorks

provides

modules, Ground, Slope,

Rock,

Soft

Foundation,

Ground,
Seepage

and Dynamic.

Select the SoilWorks execution icon

from the desktop.

1.

Project Manager > select Seepage

2.

Define Initial Variables: select kN,m,day and click

3.

Main Icon > Import > select CAD File.

4.

Select the dwg file and click

5.

Key in the command window Z (zoom) > e (Extents) and check the model data.

Copy (Ctrl+C) the model

data on CAD and paste
(Ctrl+V) it in SoilWorks.

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8 | Coupled Analysis

[Starting SoilWorks & Importing model]

Slope

SoilWorks

03. Set Work Environment & Define Material Properties

Seepage

Slope

2 Define Ground Properties (Permeability Coefficients,

2.
Coefficients Unsaturated Properties)
From the Main Menu, select Model > Property > Ground Material Property
The command entered
in

the

Command

Window may be used to

directly invoke the menu.

(command: gm)
1.

Enter Weathered soil in Name.

2.

Enter 0.504 m/day each for Horizontal and Vertical Permeability Coefficients.

3
3.

Check on Unsaturated
Unsaturated Property
Property and click

to define an unsaturated

property function.
4.

Function Name: enter Weathered Soil.

5.

Permeability Function Type: select User-defined and copy the weathered soil data

In order to define water

from the Excel sheet.

content with respect to

positive
p
pressure,

pore
p
specify

water

6.

Water Content Function: select User-defined and copy the water content data from
the Excel sheet.

the

slope representing the

7.

Check on Mv and enter 0 for the slope.

8.

Click

Water content in sandy

9.

Repeat the steps 1-8 to define ground properties for Weathered rock & Soft rock.

soils generally remains

10. Click

ratio of water content

and pore water pressure.

followed by

constant in a saturated
state. Since the models
1

used here are composed

of sand and rock layers,
specify zero for all the
slopes.

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7
6

[Define Ground Properties]

Slope Stability Analysis reflecting Rainfall Intensity | 9

SoilWorks

04. Modeling

Seepage

Slope

1 Create
1.
C
t Surfaces
S f
& Assign
A i Material
M t i l Properties
P
ti
Before generating mesh, create surfaces to which material properties will be assigned.
(command: ss)

From the Main Menu, select Geometry > Create > Smart Surface
SoilWorks automatically
generates
enclosed

surfaces
by

Assign ground properties to the created surfaces.

curves
curves.

Ground properties can

1.

From the work window, select the domain for Weathered soil.

be then assigned to the

2.

Drag & Drop WorksTree > Material Property > Ground Property > Weathered soil into

created surfaces before

the work window.

meshing by Drag & Drop.

3.

From the work window, select the domain for Weathered rock.

4.

Drag & Drop WorksTree > Material Property > Ground Property > Weathered rock into
th work
the
k window.
i d

5.

From the work window, select the domain for Soft rock.

6.

Drag & Drop WorksTree > Material Property > Ground Property > Soft rock into the
work window.

Weathered Soil

Weathered Rock

Soft Rock

properties

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Material

assigned to surfaces are

automatically
to

the

assigned

[Assign Ground Material Properties]

corresponding

elements after meshing.

10 | Coupled Analysis

Material properties assigned to

surfaces or curves can be checked
in the WorksTree.

SoilWorks

04. Modeling

Seepage

Slope

2 Generate
2.
G
t Mesh
M h (Input
(I
t Seed
S d data)
d t )
Uniform

mesh

generation is important
for

seepage

analysis,

Using the surfaces assigned with material properties, mesh is generated.

From the Main Menu, select Model > Mesh > Edge Seed

which does not pertain to

1.

Select all the curves generated and input 1 for Division Spacing.

checking deformation or

2
2.

Click

stresses of any specific

domains.
mesh,

For

seed

uniform
data

is

provided.

Mesh

From the Main Menu, select Model > Mesh > Smart Mesh
1.

is

(command: sm)

Click

generated

b
based
d on the
th specified
ifi d
node

locations

data).

(seed

Therefore,

selection of any density

will

not

affect

the

element sizes.

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[Generated Mesh]

Slope Stability Analysis reflecting Rainfall Intensity | 11

SoilWorks

04. Modeling

Seepage

Slope

3 D
3.
Define
fi S
Seepage B
Boundary
d
C
Conditions
diti
(I iti l water
(Initial
t level,
l
l Rainfall
R i f ll intensity)
i t
it )
Assume an initial water level in the ground and apply hourly rainfall. The initial water level is
specified at the soft rock layer of relatively low permeability coefficients.

From the Main Menu, select Boundaries | Analysis > Boundaries > Water Level
1.

Boundary Set: enter Initial Water Level.

2.

Select the 4 curves at the top of the soft rock.

3.

Click

From the Main Menu, select Boundaries | Analysis > Boundaries > Surface Flux
4
4.

Boundary Set: enter Rainfall

Rainfall Intensity
Intensity.

5.

Select Object > select Curve and select the 12 curves at the ground surface in the
model.

Time (day)

Converted
Rainfall (m/day)

0.0025

0 1765
0.1765

0.008

0.063

0.202

0.1305

0.0175

6.

Surface Flux > enter 0.202 m/day

7.

Click

1
2
3

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12 | Coupled Analysis

[Define Boundary Conditions]

Seepage

Slope

3. Define Seepage Boundary Condition (Review)

Surface runoff occurs due to the relative difference between the rainfall intensity and the
permeability coefficient in the ground. In order to simulate such a phenomenon, an option is
provided to set the location where Surface Flux > Permeability Coefficient Surface Review
condition is assigned at the time of defining Surface Flux as the water level (Total water head
= Elevation water head).
Rainfall can be also accumulated at the ground surface (ponding) depending on the duration
of rainfall intensity. Independent from the above option, ponding can be controlled by
setting the condition of Boundary Recheck based on Seepage Condition (Review).
As modeled in this tutorial, if the geometric shape cannot allow ponding at the ground
surface, the un-permeated excess water due to the continued rainfall can be set to flow along
the ground surface through the Review condition.
condition
From the Main Menu, select Boundaries | Analysis > Boundaries > Review
1.

Boundary Set: enter Review.

2.

Select Object > select Curve and select the 12 curves pertaining to the ground
surface.

3
3.

Cli k
Click

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SoilWorks

04. Modeling

[Define Boundary Conditions]

Slope Stability Analysis reflecting Rainfall Intensity | 13

SoilWorks

05. Analysis

Seepage

Slope

1 D
1.
Define
fi C
Construction
t
ti
St
Stages Define
D fi Ti
Time Steps
St
Define the construction stages to be used for analysis.
From the Main Menu, select Analysis | Design > Construction Stages > Construction
Construction

stages

Stages

consist of steady flow

(command: cs)

the

1.

Select Add Construction Stage

water

2.

Analysis Type: Staged Seepage (Steady Flow) Analysis enter 1 for Number.

level and transient flow

3.

Click

4.

Repeat the steps 1-3, and add Analysis Type: Staged Seepage (Transient Flow)

analysis
assumed
analysis

due

to

initial
under

the

influence of continued

Analysis enter 1 for Number.

rainfall.

5.

Select Construction Stage 2, and click

6
6.

Select Auto
Auto-generation
generation and enter 3
3 each for Duration and Number of Steps
Steps.

here to analyze changes

7.

Check on Save Result and click

in pore water pressure

8.

Click

due

9.

Click

Construction

stages

must be composed like

to

the

rainfall

intensity based on the

pore

water

pressure

10. Click

distribution results at the

initial

original

ground

1
2

state.

Check the change in

water

level

with

time

(daily basis) when daily

maximum

average

rainfall persists for a total

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of 3 days.

14 | Coupled Analysis

5
7

9
10

[Define Construction Stages]

SoilWorks

05. Analysis

Seepage

Slope

1 D
1.
Define
fi C
Construction
t
ti
St
Stages Define
D fi El
Elements
t & Boundary
B
d
Conditions
C diti
From the Main Menu, select Analysis | Design > Construction Stage > Stage Model
(command: csm)
SoilWorks
Tree
Tree

provides

Style
Style

&

1.

Input Type: select Tree Style.

2.

At Construction Stage 1, Drag & Drop all the Mesh Sets and Initial Water Level to

Table
Table

Activated Data at Current Stage.

Style for data input for

construction stages.

3.

Click

4.

At Construction Stage 2, Drag & Drop Initial Water Level used at the Stage 1 to
Deactivated Data at Current Stage.

5.

Drag & Drop Rainfall Intensity, Review to Activated Data at Current Stage.

6
6.

Click

7.

Click

1
3

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4
6

4
5

[Define Construction Stages]

Slope Stability Analysis reflecting Rainfall Intensity | 15

SoilWorks

05. Analysis

Seepage

2 Define
2.
D fi A
Analysis
l i C
Case
From the Main Menu, select Boundaries | Analysis > Analysis Control >
Analysis Case

(command: ac)

1.

In the Define Analysis Case window, click

2.

Name: enter Seepage Analysis.

3.

Analysis Method: select Construction Stage Analysis.

4.

Click Analysis Control Data

Due to the difference in

5.

Check on Maximum negative pore water pressure, and enter 20.

elevation between the

6.

Click

ground surface and the

7.

Click

8.

Click

initial

water

level,

relatively large negative

pore water pressure is

distributed at the ground

surface. Tests generally
have

shown

that

the

maximum negative pore

water

pressure

would

not exceed a certain limit

depending

on

the

ground properties (soil

particle distribution, etc).
The

limit

20kN/m2

is

set

to

in this tutorial.

4
3

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16 | Coupled Analysis

7
6

[Define Analysis case]

Slope

SoilWorks

05. Analysis

Seepage

Slope

3 A
3.
Analysis
l i
Using the analysis case, perform analysis and generate a report.
From the Main Menu, select Boundaries | Analysis > Run > Analysis

(command: ra)

Check to see if Seepage Analysis is checked.

A
Any

d t
data

generated
t d

1
1.

Click

during the process of

analysis is displayed at
the bottom of Analysis
Execution

Manager.

Especially, use caution

when Warnings appear
as the
h analysis
l i results
l
may

be

erroneous.

Analysis data is saved in

a text file format in .OUT
file in the same folder as
Save file.

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[Analysis]

Slope Stability Analysis reflecting Rainfall Intensity | 17

SoilWorks

05. Analysis

Seepage

Slope

4 A
4.
Analysis
l i off S
Seepage A
Analysis
l i Results
R
lt
With the rainfall continuing for 3 days, the change in ground water level is checked through
phreatic line by stages. Most rainfall is seen to seep through the weathered soil layer of a large
permeability coefficient. And saturated zones are observed to gradually increase near the
boundary of the weathered soil and weathered rock layers where a large difference in
permeability coefficients exists.
exists Seepage does not take place in the soft rock layer of a relatively
small permeability coefficient, which renders the initially assumed water level almost unchanged.

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From the Results Tree, select Nodal Permeation Result > Phreatic Line at Time, 1, 2 & 3 days.

18 | Coupled Analysis

[Analysis Results - Phreatic Line]

SoilWorks

06. Coupled Analysis

Seepage

Slope

1. Convert to Slope Module

In order to perform slope analysis, convert the analysis module to Seepage Module.
From the Main Menu, select Slope module icon
Use

caution

when

converting the module

as the model data such

1.

g when switching
g the module.
Check the changes

2.

Click

as the properties, loads

& boundaries may be
changed

or

deleted.

Changed or deleted data

can be checked in the
popup window.

[Convert Module]

2. Other Analysis Result Loading

Extract the pore water pressure obtained from the seepage analysis to perform coupled analysis.
The load created from
Other Analysis Result
Loading is automatically

From the Main Menu, select Loads | Boundaries > Loads > Couple Results
1.

Select

WorksTree > Loads

2.

Select the seepage analysis file.

(lower tree).

3.

Select all the saved results and click

4.

Click

registered in

and check the imported load in WorksTree.

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[Other Analysis Result Loading]

Slope Stability Analysis reflecting Rainfall Intensity | 19

SoilWorks

06. Coupled Analysis

Seepage

Slope

3 Define
3.
D fi G
Ground
d Material
M t i l Properties
P
ti
Equilibrium

Limit

Define ground material properties to perform LEM analysis.

Method will be used for

slope stability analysis.

1. From the Main Menu, select Model > Material Property > Ground Material Property
(command: gm)
2. Revise the Model Type, Weathered soil from Mohr-Coulomb to Mohr-Coulomb (LEM)
3. General Parameter: Wet Unit Weight, enter 18.5; Saturated Unit Weight, enter 19.5;
Cohesion, enter 5; Internal Friction Angle, enter 30 then click

The command entered

in

the

4. Repeat the steps from 1 to 3 to modify the material properties on Page 7 for Weathered

Command

Window may be used to

directly invoke the menu.

rock and Soft rock.

5 After modifying all the material properties
5.
properties, click

4
2

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[Modify Ground Material Properties]

20 | Coupled Analysis

Seepage

Slope

4. Define Boundary Conditions (Define Arc Failure Surfaces)

Arc sliding surfaces are assumed for slope stability checks. Among the assumed arc sliding
surfaces, the zone of expected failure can be defined to prevent unnecessary repetitive
calculations.
From the Main Menu, select Limit Equilibrium Method > Boundaries > Arc Failure
Surface
1. Boundary Set: enter Arc Failure Surface.
2. Grid Spacing: enter 1
3. Select Draw Grid Range, and draw the grid range as shown in the figure.
4. Check on Method of using Arc Tangent Lines.
5. Enter 1 for Arc radius increment.
6. Select Draw Arc Tangent, and draw the range of expected sliding surfaces.
7. Enter 5 for the Number of Arc.
8. Click
From the Main Menu, select Limit Equilibrium Method > Boundaries > Arc Passing Limit.
1. Select Total Arc Limit, and enter the X axis reference, 15,35m.
1
2
3

5
6
7

[Arc Failure Surfaces]

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SoilWorks

06. Coupled Analysis

[Arc Passing Limit]

[Define Arc Failure Surfaces]
Slope Stability Analysis reflecting Rainfall Intensity | 21

SoilWorks

06. Coupled Analysis

Seepage

Slope

5 Define
5.
D fi A
Analysis
l i C
Case (Couple
(C
l R
Results)
lt )
From the Main Menu, select Analysis | Design > Design and Report Control > Analysis
Case

(command: ac)

1.

In the Define Analysis Case window, click

2.

Name: enter Initial Water Level.

3.

Analysis Method: select Slope Stability (LEM) Analysis.

4.

Define Analysis Model: select

5.

Boundary Set > Drag & Drop Arc Failure Surface & Boundary Set into Data used
in Analysis and Load Set > Drag & Drop No. 1 load corresponding to the initial water
level to Data used in Analysis.

6
6.

Select Analysis
Analysis Control Data
Data

7.

Slope Direction: select Right to Left.

8.

Click

9.

Click

10. Changing only the coupled load, define Analysis Cases for 1, 2 and 3 day Duration.

10

2
6

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22 | Coupled Analysis

8
5

[Define Analysis Cases]

SoilWorks

06. Coupled Analysis

Seepage

Slope

6 A
6.
Analysis
l i
Using the analysis cases, perform analysis and generate a report.
From the Main Menu, select Analysis | Design > Run > Analysis

A
Any

d t
data

generated
t d

1.

Check to see if all the Analysis Cases are checked.

2
2.

Click

(command: ra)

during the process of

analysis is displayed at
the bottom of Analysis
Execution

Manager.

Especially, use caution

when Warnings appear
as the
h analysis
l i results
l
may

be

erroneous.

Analysis data is saved in

a text file format in .OUT
file in the same folder as
Save file.

Tuttoria
als

[Analysis]

Slope Stability Analysis reflecting Rainfall Intensity | 23

SoilWorks

07. Analysis of Results

Seepage

Slope

1. Analysis of Results
Check the initial water level and the safety factors for the slope in relation to the duration of the
rainfall. The ground water level and the saturated zone can be checked through coupling
seepage results.
From the Results Tree, check the safety factors and expected sliding surfaces for individual

Tuttoria
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Analysis Cases.

24 | Coupled Analysis

[Minimum Safety Factors & Expected Failure Shapes by Analysis Cases]

Seepage

Slope

This tutorial has performed a simple example of slope stability analysis reflecting the intensity of
rainfall.
Underground water flow changes depending on the relative difference between the permeability
coefficient of the ground surface and the rainfall intensity in reflection of the unsaturated
properties of the ground (permeability coefficient ratio with respect to pore water pressure and
water content with respect to pore water pressure).
Due to the presence of ground water, an increase in strength takes place due to the capillary
absorption force above the ground water level, especially at the ground surface. The strength
reduces with the decrease in the capillary absorption force rather than due to a rise in the initial
ground water level. The sliding failure mode is shallow failure attributed to the soil, which became
heavier at the ground surface rather than to a rise in the water level.
Due to the initial shallow slope failure, arc failure or shifting of the ground surface depending on
its slope may develop from the continued rainfall.
Change in initial water level and saturated zone distribution in a slope can be investigated from a
time variant analysis for constant rainfall or time-dependent rainfall intensity after defining the
unsaturated properties of the ground.

Tuttoria
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SoilWorks

08. Analysis Guide

Slope Stability Analysis reflecting Rainfall Intensity | 25

SoilWorks

Slope

Tuttoria
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Seepage

Slope Stability Analysis reflecting Rainfall Intensity | 26