Slope Stability by "Spencer" Method

alpha Slope of base of slice (degrees) Example Problem 1

beta Slope at surface (degrees)
phi' Angle of shearing resistance (degrees)
gamma Total unit weight (pcf)
theta Slope of interslice earth forces in degrees
b Width of slice (ft)
c' Cohesion (psf)
F Factor of safety
h low low side height of slice (ft)
u low low side head at base of slice (ft. of water)
p low low side applied surface pressure (ft. of water)
R Moment arm to midpoint of base of slice, Delta angle with horizontal

Closure unbalance Sum of

gw = 62.4 pcf of external forces external moments
F= 1.24 delta X #VALUE! lbs #VALUE! ft-kips
theta 31.2 degrees delta Y #VALUE! lbs
ah = 0.15 g
Slice Geometry Material Pressure Moment Arm
No. b (ft) h low(ft) alpha beta gamma u low(ft) c' phi' p low(ft) R (ft) delta
0 20 20
1 48 50 32 -26.6 130 50 0 35 0 201 46
2 11 60 32 -26.6 130 47 0 35 0 197 56
3 15 75 32 -26.6 120 48 100 22 0 197 60
4 20 88 32 0 105 41 100 22 0 200 66.5
5 14 87 32 33.7 113 29 100 22 0 203 72
6 6 77 0 33.7 128 10 0 30 0 204 75
7 37 58 0 33.7 130 7 0 30 0 200 81
8 23 45 0 26.6 129 7 0 30 0 197 90
9 30 30 0 26.6 129 7 0 30 0 198 97
10 46 0 -8 26.6 129 0 0 30 0 203 102.5
Width 250 ft.
Slice E earth Uh low
No. W tan phi'm C'm U A P low side side Sum X Sum Y
1 156000 0.56 0 123616 33498 #VALUE! #VALUE! 78000 #VALUE! #VALUE!
2 78650 0.56 0 39255 0 #VALUE! #VALUE! 68921 #VALUE! #VALUE!
3 121500 0.33 1426 52426 0 #VALUE! #VALUE! 71885 #VALUE! #VALUE!
4 171150 0.33 1902 65487 0 #VALUE! #VALUE! 52447 #VALUE! #VALUE!
5 138425 0.33 1331 36055 0 #VALUE! #VALUE! 26239 #VALUE! #VALUE!
6 62976 0.47 0 7301 0 #VALUE! #VALUE! 3120 #VALUE! #VALUE!
7 324675 0.47 0 19625 0 #VALUE! #VALUE! 1529 #VALUE! #VALUE!
8 152801 0.47 0 10046 0 #VALUE! #VALUE! 1529 #VALUE! #VALUE!
9 145125 0.47 0 13104 0 #VALUE! #VALUE! 1529 #VALUE! #VALUE!
10 89010 0.47 0 10145 0 #VALUE! #VALUE! 0 #VALUE! #VALUE!

Slice sin cos sin External Moments

No. Rw delta w Rt delta t delta t RxW Rw x aW Rt x A RxU RxP R x C'm
1 #VALUE! #VALUE! #VALUE! #VALUE! #VALUE! -21781708 #VALUE! #VALUE! 5165928 #VALUE! 0
2 175 0.777 141 0.783 0.770 -8664163 -1602341 0 269888 #VALUE! 0
3 169 0.812 125 0.790 0.827 -11967750 -2494219 0 -360441 #VALUE! 280835
 4 163 0.873 121 0.661 0.845 -13649181 -3662491 0 -1935915 #VALUE! 376202
5 162 0.922 131 0.478 0.805 -8683463 -3100328 0 -1770645 #VALUE! 262232
6 165 0.947 147 0.358 0.780 -3325075 -1474100 0 385476 #VALUE! 0
7 167 0.982 156 0.201 0.836 -10158072 -7976664 0 613999 #VALUE! 0
8 171 1.000 163 0.000 0.891 0 -3925063 0 0 #VALUE! 0
9 179 0.991 186 -0.130 0.854 3501885 -3869921 0 -316201 #VALUE! 0
10 196 0.974 #VALUE! #VALUE! #VALUE! 3910854 -2545972 #VALUE! -161584 #VALUE! 0
sum -70816672 #VALUE! #VALUE! 1890506 #VALUE! 919269
Global Sum X: #VALUE! lbs
Global Sum Y: #VALUE! lbs
Sum Moments: #VALUE! ft-lbs
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