Discrete Element Method for Slope Stability Analysis
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Date
2003-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
A static DEM has been presented to solve slope stability analyses. The method consists of
discretizing the soil mass into blocks which are joined by Winkler springs. From relation of
forces with stiffness and displacement, sets of simultaneous equations are solved to find
displacements and stresses. The local stresses are used to calculate factor of safety while the
displacement fields are used for predicting the critical failure surface.
Example problems have been solved using DEM and the results have shown the potential of
the method for slope stability analysis. Comparisons of the present model between limit
equilibrium methods, FEM and with DEM models by other authors are made .The results
suggest that DEM methods can be used both to predict the critical slip surface and give a
factor of safety and that these outputs closely agree with the conventional limit equilibrium
methods and the more rigorous FEMs.
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Keywords
Discrete ;Element ; Method