Direct search for minimum reliability index of earth slopes

The paper presents a numerical procedure for locating the surface of minimum reliability index beta(min) for earth slopes. The procedure uses a formulation similar to that used to search for the surface of minimum factor of safety FSmin in a conventional slope stability analysis. The advantage of the formulation lies in enabling a direct search for the critical probabilistic surface by utilizing an existing deterministic slope stability algorithm with the addition of a simple module for the calculation of the reliability index beta. Applications to several cases have helped to elucidate the successful working of the procedure. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.