Multi-stage Pseudo-static Analysis

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Introduction
It is generally assumed that during a seismic event the loading is so rapid that there will be no change in
the shearing resistance along a potential slips surface. Stated another way, it is generally assumed that
the soil will behave in an undrained manner. The seismic loading may increase the total stress at the
base of a slice and there may be an equivalent change in the pore-pressure, but the effective stress will
remain unchanged, and consequently the strength will remain unchanged. A staged pseudo-static
analysis can be completed to give consideration to this scenario. Two options are available for
calculating the undrained strengths prior to the application of the seismic forces.

Staged Pseudo-Static Analysis

A staged pseudo-static analysis involves the completion of two stability analyses for every single slip
surface (i.e. two stages). The first stage is completed without applying the seismic forces so that the
effective stresses can be obtained at the base of each slice. The effective stresses can then be used to
calculate the strengths at the base of each slice, which are subsequently used in the second stage when
the seismic forces are included.

SLOPE/W has two options for calculating the strengths from the effective stresses obtained in Stage 1
(Figure 1). One of the options calculates the strength according to the Mohr-Coulomb strength law and
the effective stress strength properties. The resulting effective stress strengths are treated as
equivalent undrained strengths in the second stage of the analysis. The other option uses the undrained
strength calculations proposed by Duncan et al. (1990). The undrained strength calculations of Duncan

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et al. (1990) require both the effective stress strength properties and those corresponding to the
undrained R-envelop. These two strength envelops are used to compute an equivalent undrained
strength at the base of each slice. The None option results in a conventional, single stage, pseudo-
static analysis (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Dropdown menu for selecting the staged pseudo-static option for calculating strengths.

Example problem
Several examples were created in association with the development of the UTEXAS slope stability
software package. One of the examples (Example M) was created to illustrate a staged pseudo-static
stability analysis. The example configuration is shown in Figure 2.

The domain represents a 230-foot high water retention embankment with 2:1 side slopes. The fill
material is clay. The saturated total unit weight is 135 pcf and the unit weight for the soil above the
water table is 132 pcf.

The effective stress shear strength envelope (S) is defined by c = 0.0 and = 32. The total strength
envelope (R) is defined by c = 2000 psf and = 15. As is evident in Figure 3, the two envelopes cross
over at 5600 psf.

One trial slip surface is considered for illustrative purposes (Figure 4). The specified pseudo-static
seismic coefficient is 0.2. Four analyses were completed: 1) a conventional analysis excluding seismic
forces; 2) a conventional pseudo-static analysis; 3) staged pseudo-static analysis using effective stress
strengths; and, 4) staged pseudo-static analysis using undrained strength calculated according to
Duncan et al. (1990).

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300

250

200

150

100

50

-50
-550 -450 -350 -250 -150 -50 50 150 250 350 450 550

feet

Figure 2 Problem configuration

S envelope R envelope
7000

6000

5000
Shear stress - psf

4000

3000

2000

1000

0
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Effective normal - psf

Figure 3 Shear strength envelopes

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Figure 4 Trial slip surface

Results and Discussion

The factors of safety corresponding to each analysis is:

Excluding seismic forces: 1.872

None (conventional pseudo-static): 1.045
Duncan et al. (1990) undrained strengths: 1.088
Effective stress (equivalent undrained) strengths: 1.103

Figure 5 compares the undrained strength from the two staged strength options. The two methods are
identical at the lower base normal stress but deviate slightly at higher base normal stresses. The slightly
lower strengths over a portion of the slip surface results in a slightly lower factor of safety.

Duncan & Wright Effective stress

6000
Slice base undrained strength - psf

5000

4000

3000

2000

1000

0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
Slice #

Figure 5 Comparison of equivalent undrained strengths

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Summary
SLOPE/W has the option to consider an undrained response when doing a pseudo-static analysis. Two
methods are available for computing the undrained strengths at the base of each slice. The strengths
are calculated in the first stage of the analysis when the seismic forces are excluded. The strengths are
then locked in for the second stage of the analysis when the seismic forces are included.

The simple effective stress approach requires only the conventional effective stress strength properties.
The strength calculations proposed by Duncan et al. (1990) also requires the definition of the total stress
(R) strength parameters.

References
Duncan, J.M.,Wright S.G. and Wong, K.S. (1990). Slope Stability during Rapid Drawdown. Proceedings
of H. Bolton Seed Memorial Symposium. Vol. 2.

Duncan, J.M. and Wright, S.G (2005). Soil Strength and Slope Stability, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.