Effects of groundwater on stability of rock and soil slopes

The first part of this thesis reviews in detail the state of stress due to pore water pressure, and effective stress methods in wet grounds in an attempt to present a global perspective on the subject. Through the second part of the thesis, a 2-dimensional finite element program has been developed for stress and stability analysis of wet rock and soil masses. The program uses the effective stress method which allows for a unified approach for dry and wet analysis. It computes the displacements, effective stresses and excess pore water pressure. Safety levels are then calculated in the postprocessor using rock and soil ultimate strength parameters. Three failure criteria are available. These are: Mohr-Coulomb and Hoek-Brown. The effective stress method used allows for the computation of pore water effect due to both volumetric and deviatoric changes. A case study of an open mine slope has been carried out to demonstrate the application of the developed program to practical problems.