Numerical limit equilibrium methods in slope stability analysis

With the fast and inexpensive personal computers of today, numerical methods have become more popular in engineering science. More frequently, numerical methods used in continuum and discontinuum analysis are the finite element and finite difference methods. On the other hand, slope stability analysis is usually performed by the limit equilibrium me;hod. In this latter approach, several important parameters cannot be dealt with, such as stress history, non-linear behavior non-homogeneity and anisotropy of the soil outside the sliding wedge. The CA2 (Continuum Analysis, 2-dimensional) computer program is capable of solving slope stability problems, using explicit finite difference method combined with the limit equilibrium concepts. In this paper, the results of continuum numerical analyses are compared with those of limit equilibrium methods and the importance of several parameters involved is described.