Step

MIDAS IT Co., Ltd.

2D Slope Stability Analysis using SAM

midas GTS 2D Tutorial 38
Step

00
MIDAS IT Co., Ltd.
2D Slope Stability Analysis using SAM
Overview
1. SAM is used for analyzing the slope
including weak layer.

2. Analysis performed assuming failure

surface as Circular and Polygonal.

3. Factor of safety (FOS) assessed for the

assumed virtual active surface and the
critical cross section which has
minimum FOS. Weathered Soil
4. Starting File GTS 2D Tutorial Weak Soil
38_start.gtb

5. Model the slope as finite element, and

perform finite element analysis
Midas GTS provides FEM slope stability analysis (SAM) using Strength Reduction Method
considering nonlinear characteristic of
(SRM) and limit stability method evaluation elements as a stability evaluation method for
ground. slopes. SAM(Stress Analysis Method) here applies virtual active surface which is an
evaluation element in limit stability method into the FEM analysis results. This method
6. Assuming the virtual active surfaces as allows users to perform the analysis of the areas which were unable to solve with current li
circular or non-circular, and calculate mit stability method. (Such areas are nonlinear material characteristics,, stress history
effect due to forming process, etc.)
the FOS for every active surface
assumed. This method is a reliable evaluation method for the slope stability through the accurate FEM a
nalysis results
7. Compare the FOS for the assumed
active surfaces to those of current
SRM, and verify the location of critical
cross section which has minimum FOS.

2D Slope Stability Analysis using SAM 1

Step

01 Material Properties
MIDAS IT Co., Ltd.

Attribute)

Attribute Material Property Mesh Set

Type
Name(ID) Name(ID) Name(ID) Name

Weathered Soil Plane Weathered Soil - Weathered Soil

Weak Soil Plane Weak Soil - Weak Soil

2D Slope Stability Analysis using SAM 2

Step

01 Material Properties
MIDAS IT Co., Ltd.

Material

ID 1 2
Name Weathered Soil Weak Soil
Model Type Mohr-Coulomb Mohr-Coulomb
Modulus of Elasticity(E) [kN/m2] 80000 30000
Poissons Ratio() 0.3 0.3
Unit Weight(Y) [kN/m3] 20 15

Unit Weight(Saturated) [kN/m3] 21 16

Cohesion(c) [kN/m2] 10 5
Friction Angle() 30 25
K0 0.5 0.5

2D Slope Stability Analysis using SAM 3

Step

02
MIDAS IT Co., Ltd.
File > Open
Procedure
1

1. Main Menu > File>Open

2

2. Double click GTS 2D Tutorial

38_start.gtb

3. The Attributes, materials and

properties have already been
included in the start file

2D Slope Stability Analysis using SAM 4

Step

03
MIDAS IT Co., Ltd.
Mesh > Auto Mesh > Planar Area
2
Procedure
1. Main Menu > Mesh > Auto
Mesh > Planar Area

2. Select the edges above the

Weak Soil as shown

3. Mesh Size > Enter 1 in the

Element Size

4. Attribute > 1 : Weathered Soil,

Mesh Set Name> Weathered 1

Soil 6
2

5. Click [Advanced Option]

6. Type > Quadrilateral 3

7. Check on Generate Mid-Side

Nodes 4

8. Click [OK]

9. Click [Apply]
5

9
8

2D Slope Stability Analysis using SAM 5

Step

03
MIDAS IT Co., Ltd.
Mesh > Auto Mesh > Planar Area
Procedure
1
1. Select the edges of the Weak
Soil as shown

2. Mesh Size > Enter Element Size 2

3. Attribute > 2 : Weak Soil, Mesh 3

Set Name > Weak Soil

4. Click [Apply]

5. Similarly create a mesh set for the

Weathered Soil below the Weak
4
Soil and name it Weathered Soil
2

2D Slope Stability Analysis using SAM 6

Step

03
MIDAS IT Co., Ltd.
Model > Property > Attribute
Procedure
1. After generating the Mesh, verify
that 3 Mesh Sets have been defined.
Verify that Default Mesh set is
included

2. Weathered Soil and Weathered 3

Soil 2 are two different Mesh Sets;

however, they can be easily merged
because they share the same
properties

3. From Model Work Tree click the

Control key and select Weathered
Soil and Weathered Soil 2

4. Right click and select the Merge 4

function

5. After merging, verify that

5
Weathered Soil and Weathered 2
are combined into one Mesh Set

2D Slope Stability Analysis using SAM 7

Step

04
MIDAS IT Co., Ltd.
Model > Boundary > Slip Surface > Circular Surface
1
Procedure
1. Main Menu > Model > Boundary > Slip 2

Surface > Circular Surface

2. BC Set > enter Circular

3
3. Enter the Grid Range Reference Points
1 and 2 for (X, Y) coordinates (28,24),
4
(38,24) respectively. Enter (38,34) for
(X3,Y3)
5
4. Number of Centers (1-2) & Number of
Center(2-3) > Enter 6 for both
6
5. [Radius Range] > Use Default [Method
using Tangential Line of Circle]
7
6. Enter coordinates (18,16), (16,13),
(35,7), (33,4) into Left Up, Left Down,
Right Up, Right Down respectively Both Grid Range and Radius Range
can be selected by clicking on the
7. Number of Radius Increment > 5 Point on Work Window using Draw
8 9
Grid Range and Draw Radius Range,
8. [ ] Click Preview to see the Grid and the coordinates of the selected
Range and Radius Range areas are inputted automatically. In
this example direct coordinate input
9. Click [OK] method has been used to help the
understanding of the coordinates in the
Grid area and Radius area.

2D Slope Stability Analysis using SAM 8

Step

04
MIDAS IT Co., Ltd.
Model > Boundary > Slip Surface > Circular Surface
Procedure 1

1. The generated slip surface can be

viewed in the Analysis Work
Tree under Boundary > Circular 2

2. The Grid & Radius Range can be

adjusted by right clicking the
mouse button and selecting the
Edit command

3
3. After adjusting Circular Slip
Surface settings, the color labels
of the Grid Ranges or Radius 3

Ranges from the Mesh Set can be

assigned a different color by
calling the following command:
View > Display Option > LBC >
Grid and Radius for Slip
Surface

2D Slope Stability Analysis using SAM 9

Step

04
MIDAS IT Co., Ltd.
Model > Boundary > Slip Surface >Circular Surface
Procedure
1. In the Analysis Works Tree,
From Boundary > Circular
1
Surfaces right click on the mouse
and select Check..

2. The Check function is used to

2
verify contact between the Slip
Surfaces and Model
3
4
3. The Slip Surface List Dialog
lists all the available slip surfaces
and their respective (x, y)
coordinates.

4. Selected Slip Surfaces are

displayed in the model about the
grid automatically

2D Slope Stability Analysis using SAM 10

Step

05
MIDAS IT Co., Ltd.
Model > Boundary > Slip Surface > Polygonal Surface
1
Procedure 6

1. Model > Boundary > Slip 2

Surface > Polygonal Surface

3
2. BC Set > Polygonal,
Name > Enter 1

3. Input the coordinates of the

Polygonal Surface

4. [ ] Click Preview to see the

Grid Range and Radius Range.

5. Click [Apply]
4 5
6. Similarly repeat the procedure for
Polygonal Surfaces 2, 3

7. Alternatively the Polygonal Slip

surface can also be generated by
selecting the points in the Work
Window itself

2D Slope Stability Analysis using SAM 11

Step

05
MIDAS IT Co., Ltd.
Model > Boundary > Slip Surface > Polygonal Surface
Procedure 1

1. The generated slip surface can be

viewed in the Analysis Work
Tree under Boundary >
Polygonal
2
2. The Polygonal Surface can be
adjusted by right clicking the
mouse button and selecting the
Display Option command
3
3. After setting non-circular slip
surface, if Poly line has similar
color to Mesh Set and hard to
distinguish, the color can be
changed by selecting Polygonal
boundary set > Right Click >
Display Option > LBC > Poly Line
for Slip Surface

2D Slope Stability Analysis using SAM 12

Step

06
MIDAS IT Co., Ltd.
Model > Boundary > Ground Supports
Procedure
1. Model > Boundary > Ground 1

Supports
2

2. BC Set Ground Support

3. Confirm the checking on the 3

Consider All Mesh Sets

4

4. Click [OK]

2D Slope Stability Analysis using SAM 13

Step

07
MIDAS IT Co., Ltd.
Model > Load > Self Weight
Procedure
1. Main Menu >Model > Load > Self 1

Weight 2

2. Load Set > Self Weight

3. Self Weight Factor> Y : -1

3

4. Click [OK]

Self Weight
Y(-)

2D Slope Stability Analysis using SAM 14

Step

08
MIDAS IT Co., Ltd.
Analysis > Analysis Case
Procedure 1

2
1. Main Menu > Analysis > Analysis
Case

2. Click [Add]
3
3. Name > SAM-C, Analysis
Type > Slope Stability(SAM)

4. Analysis Model > Initial Element,

4
Initial Boundary > Select Empty

5. Add or Modify Initial Model > Drag

& Drop from Set Tree -
5
Weathered Soil & Weak Soil
mesh sets, Circular & Ground
Support Boundary and Self
Weight Load into Activated as
shown

6. Click [OK]

2D Slope Stability Analysis using SAM 15

Step

08
MIDAS IT Co., Ltd.
Analysis > Analysis Case
Procedure 1

1. Click [Add]

2. Name > SAM-P, Analysis Type >

Slope Stability(SAM)

2
3. Analysis Model > Initial Element,
Initial Boundary > Select Empty

4. Add or Modify Initial Model > Drag

3
& Drop from Set Tree -
Weathered Soil & Weak Soil
mesh sets, Polygonal &
Ground Support Boundary and 4

Self Weight Load into Activated

as shown

5. Click [OK]

2D Slope Stability Analysis using SAM 16

Step

08
MIDAS IT Co., Ltd.
Analysis > Analysis Case
Procedure 1

1. Click [Add]

2. Name > SRM, Analysis Type >

Slope Stability(SRM)

3. Analysis Model > Initial Element, 2

Initial Boundary > Select Empty

4. Add or Modify Initial Model > Drag

3
& Drop from Set Tree -
Weathered Soil & Weak Soil
mesh sets, Ground Support
Boundary and Self Weight Load
4
into Activated as shown

5. Click [OK]

2D Slope Stability Analysis using SAM 17

Step

09
MIDAS IT Co., Ltd.
Analysis > Solve
Procedure 1

1. Main Menu > Analysis > Solve

2

2. Select all the Analysis Case

3. Click [OK]

An Output Window displays the

3
analysis is processing. When the SAM
method is used in the analysis, the
following conditions will prompt a
Warning Message. The following
conditions does not influence the
analysis results:

Cases when the virtual Slip Surface

and model are not in contact->The
analysis will not perform

Cases when the Ground Boundary

Conditions do not satisfy the virtual
Slip Surface -> Due to the constraints
affecting the shear stress of the
Ground Boundary Conditions, and not
included in the analysis

2D Slope Stability Analysis using SAM 18

Step

10
MIDAS IT Co., Ltd.
Result > Slope Stability(SAM) Result
1
Procedure
1. Main Menu > Result > Slope 2

Stability(SAM) Result
3
2. In the Slope Stability FOS Result
Dialog box, select the SAM-C
from the Analysis Case

3. From the SAM-C analysis, Factor

of Safety for all slip surfaces can
be verified

4. By clicking on the button [Min],

the minimum Factor of Safety
4
value can be confirmed
(Min=1.863)
5

5. Verify critical failure surface with

the minimum Factor of Safety

2D Slope Stability Analysis using SAM 19

Step

11
MIDAS IT Co., Ltd.
SAM-C > Displacement > DX(V), SAM-C > 2D Element Strains > HO-Soil Max Shear
Procedure
X-Displacement
1. SAM method uses nonlinear FEM
analysis methods including
material nonlinear characteristic of
ground. Not only factor of safety
and critical cross section but also
general nonlinear analysis results
such as stress, displacement,
maximum shear deformation of
ground are attainable.

Max Shear Strain

2D Slope Stability Analysis using SAM 20

Step

12
MIDAS IT Co., Ltd.
Results > Slope Stability(SAM) Result
1
Procedure
2
1. Main Menu > Result > Slope
Stability(SAM) Result
3
2. In the Slope Stability FOS Result
Dialog box, set the Analysis Case
as SAM-P.

3. From the SAM-P analysis, Factor

of Safety for all slip surfaces can
be verified.

4. By clicking on the button Min, the

minimum Factor of Safety value
can be confirmed (Min=1.984)
4

5. Verify critical failure surface with

the minimum Factor of Safety

2D Slope Stability Analysis using SAM 21

Step

13
MIDAS IT Co., Ltd.
Post Works Tree > SRM > 2D Element Strains > HO-Soil Max Shear
1
Procedure
1. Post Works Tree > SRM001 >
SRM (1)

2. Factor of Safety - 1.8875

3. Post Works Tree > SRM > 2D

Element Strains > HO-Soil Max
Shear

4. Strength Reduction Method is used to

3
assess safety by comparing the strain
which is changing as the strength of
slope reduces with pre-set failure
strain. In SRM, failure is considered 2

to have occurred when convergence

fails. Convergence fails when current
strain exceeds failure strain. Factor of
safety is calculated using reduced
strength, and critical cross section is
the area where maximum shear strain
occurs

2D Slope Stability Analysis using SAM 22