CiviLab 2027 · Stability · New in 7.1

Slope stability: Bishop method

Factor of safety of a slope or embankment by the simplified Bishop method (1955), on circular slip surfaces, with automatic search of the critical circle and the Eurocode 7 check.

The Stability module of CiviLab 7.1 has its own ribbon tab, organised in four groups: Bishop method, Spencer / Morgenstern-Price, Non-circular surfaces and Seismic. Each group has its own input window, list of calculations and sheets.

Method

  • Simplified Bishop (1955): moment equilibrium, circular surfaces;
  • critical circle search on a grid of centres and radii (automatic grid), then three refinement passes;
  • critical circle with characteristic values (F) and design values (Fd, EC7).

Geometry and soils

  • soil layers defined by their top boundary, with γ, γsat, c′ / φ′ (drained) or cu (undrained);
  • water table and surcharge at the crest;
  • input window with a permanent scaled section and Excel import / export.

Eurocode 7 check

  • factor of safety F compared with the required factor;
  • NF P 94-270 §10: design approach 3 (A2 + M2 + R3), partial factors of annex C (γQ = 1.3; γφ′ = 1.25; γc′ = 1.25; γcu = 1.4), γR;d = 1.10 (§10.5), inequality 10.2.1 Fd ≥ γR;e·γR;d.

Results

  • scaled sheet: layers, water table, surcharge, critical surface and slices, soil table and results;
  • comparison Fellenius / Bishop / Spencer / Morgenstern-Price (with λ) on the critical surface;
  • "Test data" pages with the slices of the critical surface.

Validation on published cases

Each published case was entered in CiviLab and compared with the reference value and with the GeoStudio SLOPE/W results (verification manual). Difference = (CiviLab − GeoStudio) / GeoStudio, same method.

CaseMethodPublished referenceGeoStudioCiviLab 7.1Difference / GeoStudio
ACADS 1(a) — simple homogeneous slopeBishop1.000.9930.985−0.8 %
ACADS — non-homogeneous slope (3 layers)Bishop1.391.4131.393−1.4 %
Arai and Tagyo (1985) — homogeneous slopeBishop1.4511.4171.404−0.9 %
Greco (1996), example 4 — multilayer slopeBishop1.40 to 1.421.4051.440+2.5 %
CalculationExpectedCiviLab
Exact equilibrium, φ = 0 (analytical solution)1.392641.39259
Excel slice-by-slice recalculation, ACADS 1(a): F; Fd0.98508; 0.788060.98508; 0.78806

See all validation results →

The other slope stability calculations

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