Slope Stability Analyses of Zoned Dam Under Steady State Condition/Case Study

Abstract

Earth and rock are the principal materials from which dams are constructed, these kinds of dams are called embankment dams. The conventional limit equilibrium method has dominated use over any other method for analyzing slope stability. In this paper, Spence, Morgenstern-price, the Ordinary method of slices, and Janbu simplified methods are used in order to find out how near, far Aquban dam from the verge failure which is located in Erbil-Kurdistan/Iraq. In present study, the focus is mainly drawn on analyses of steady-state condition. To compute the factor of safety, the study utilized SLOPE/W software. The results show that there is no major difference in a safety factor and a critical slip surface position between all the methods which are used in the study. In addition, all used methods offered a more than the minimum required safety factory which is given by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers so this ensures that the dam against slope instability is on the safe side. According to the results obtained from this study, Janbu simplified method which considers only force equilibrium condition produced the lowest factor of safety, while the highest and almost identical factor of safety generated from the methods that satisfy all the static equilibrium condition (Spencer and Morgenstern-Price methods) give. Therefore, a reasonably reliable and higher value of safety factor is given by the methods which satisfy all static equilibrium conditions.