Tutorial 6 Support

• Homogeneous, single material slope

• Grouted tieback support
• Circular surface search (Grid Search)
• Multi Scenario modeling
• Support Forces
Slide v.7.0 Tutorial Manual Tutorial 6: Support

Introduction
This tutorial will demonstrate the modeling of support in Slide. Various types of slope
reinforcement can be modeled in Slide, including geo-textiles, soil nails, tiebacks, rock bolts,
piles and micro piles.
We will use the Multi Scenario modeling option, to create and analyze two model scenarios:
1) with no support and 2) with support added.
The finished product of this tutorial can be found in the Tutorial 06 Support.slmd data file.
All tutorial files installed with Slide 7.0 can be accessed by selecting File > Recent Folders >
Tutorials Folder from the Slide main menu.

Model
If you have not already done so, run the Slide Model program by double-clicking on the Slide
icon in your installation folder. Or from the Start menu, select Programs → Rocscience →
Slide 7.0 → Slide.

Project Settings
For this tutorial, we will use the Multi Scenario modeling option, which allows you to easily
create and analyze multiple variations of a model, within a single document file.
Select: Analysis → Project Settings
Various important analysis and modeling options are set in the Project Settings dialog,
including Failure Direction, Units of Measurement, Analysis Methods and Groundwater
Method. We will be using the default selections for these options.
Select the Scenarios page in Project Settings, and select the Multiple Scenarios option.

Select the Project Summary page and enter a Project Title – Support Tutorial. Select OK.
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Multi Scenario Document Viewer

Since we selected the Multiple Scenarios option in Project Settings, notice that the sidebar
now displays a Document Viewer pane.

The Document Viewer allows you to create, name and organize the various models that you
will be analyzing in Multi Scenario mode.
By default, when you initially choose this option, one Group containing one Scenario will
automatically be created. The definition of Group and Scenario is as follows:

• Group – by definition, all Scenarios within a Group have the same boundaries (e.g.
External and Material boundaries). If you edit the boundaries for one scenario, the
edits will automatically propagate to all scenarios in the same Group.
• Scenario – scenarios allow you to change any other input parameters (except
boundaries). Each scenario can have different input parameters.
Let’s rename the Group and Scenario as follows:
• Right-click on “Group 1” and select Rename from the popup menu. Rename the
group “Support Model”.
• Right-click on “Scenario 1” and select Rename from the popup menu. Rename the
scenario “No Support”.

Just remember that each Scenario is really a separate Slide model. Groups are just folders
that allow you to group together multiple models (scenarios) that have the same
boundaries. Multiple groups can also be created, which allows you to analyze models with
different boundaries, but that will be discussed in other tutorials.

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Add External Boundary

Let’s add the External Boundary. To add the external boundary, select Add External
Boundary from the toolbar or the Boundaries menu.
Select: Boundaries → Add External Boundary
Enter the following coordinates in the prompt line at the bottom right of the screen.
Enter vertex [esc=cancel]: 20 20
Enter vertex [u=undo,esc=cancel]: 70 20
Enter vertex [u=undo,esc=cancel]: 70 35
Enter vertex [c=close,u=undo,esc=cancel]:50 35
Enter vertex [c=close,u=undo,esc=cancel]:30 25
Enter vertex [c=close,u=undo,esc=cancel]: 20 25
Enter vertex [c=close,u=undo,esc=cancel]: c

Note that entering “c” after the last vertex has been entered, automatically connects the
first and last vertices (closes the boundary), and exits the Add External Boundary option.
You have now defined the External Boundary for the “No Support” scenario.

Slip Surfaces
For this tutorial, we will be performing a circular surface Grid Search, which requires a grid
of slip centers to be defined. This time we will use the Add Grid option, which allows the
user to define a grid at any location. Select the Surfaces workflow tab.
Select: Surfaces → Add Grid
The two points defining the opposite corners of the grid can be entered graphically with the
mouse, however, enter the following exact coordinates in the prompt line:
Enter first corner of grid [esc=quit]: 25 40
Enter second corner of grid [esc=quit]: 45 60

You will then see the Grid Spacing dialog.

We will use the default 20 x 20 spacing. Select OK.

The Grid will be added to the model. Select Zoom All to center the model in the view. Your
screen should appear as follows:

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NOTE: slip center grids, and the circular surface Grid Search, are discussed in the Quick Start
Tutorial. Please refer to that tutorial, or the Slide Help system, for more information.

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Properties
Now let’s define the material properties.
Select: Properties → Define Materials
In the Define Material Properties dialog, enter the following parameters, with the first
(default) material selected.
• Name = soil 1
• Unit Weight = 20
• Strength Type = Mohr-Coulomb
• Cohesion = 3
• Phi = 19.6
• Water Surfaces = None

When you are finished entering properties, select OK.

NOTE: since we are dealing with a single material model, and since you entered properties
with the first (default) material selected, you do not have to Assign these properties to the
model. Slide automatically assigns the default properties (i.e. the properties of the first
material in the Define Material Properties dialog) for you.
We are finished with the first part of the modeling (before adding the support), and can
proceed to run the analysis and interpret the results.
After we take a quick look at the results without support, we will create a new scenario, add
a support pattern to the model, and re-run the analysis.

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Compute
Before you analyze your model, save it as a file called support tutorial.slmd. (Slide multi-
scenario model files have a .slmd filename extension).
Select: File → Save
Use the Save As dialog to save the file. You are now ready to run the analysis.
Select: Analysis → Compute
The Slide Compute engine will proceed in running the analysis. This should only take a few
seconds. When completed, you are ready to view the results in Interpret.

Interpret
To view the results of the analysis:
Select: Analysis → Interpret
This will start the Slide Interpret program. You should see the following figure:

By default, you will see the Global Minimum slip surface for the Bishop Simplified analysis
method. The safety factor of this surface is .988, so this slope is just at critical equilibrium,
and would certainly require support in order to be considered stable.
Select the Janbu simplified analysis method. The Janbu method has located a different
Global Minimum surface, but the safety factor is also less than 1.
Let’s go back to the modeler, add some support, and re-run the analysis. In the Slide
Interpret program, select the Modeler button from the toolbar or the Analysis menu.
Select: Analysis → Modeler

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Model
Now we will create a new scenario and add grouted tieback support.

Adding a Scenario
Adding a new scenario is very simple. There are two ways you can add a scenario:
1. Right-click on the “No Support” scenario in the Document Viewer pane, and select
Duplicate Scenario from the popup menu;

OR …

2. Click on the green cross at the bottom of the document viewer pane, and a
new scenario will be added.
You should see a new scenario with the default name Scenario 2. Right-click on “Scenario 2”
in the Document Viewer pane, select Rename from the popup menu. Name the scenario
“With Tieback Support”, as shown below.

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Scenario Tabs
When you create multiple scenarios, notice that tabs will automatically be created at the
lower left corner of the view, so that you may easily switch between different scenarios by
selecting the tabs. This is illustrated below.

You may switch between different scenarios by selecting the tabs, or by selecting the
scenario name from the document viewer pane in the sidebar.

Add Support Pattern

Support elements can be added to a model individually, with the Add Support option in the
Support menu. If multiple support elements in a regular pattern are to be added, you can
use the Add Support Pattern option in the Support menu.
Select the Loading & Support workflow tab, and make sure the “With Tieback Support”
scenario is selected.
We will use the Add Support Pattern option, to add a uniformly spaced support pattern to
the slope.
Select: Support → Add Support Pattern
You will first see the Support Pattern dialog.

Set the Orientation = Angle from Horizontal, Angle = –10 degrees, Length = 15, and Spacing
= 3. Select OK.
As you move the mouse, you will notice a small red cross, which follows the cursor around,
and snaps to the nearest point on the nearest external boundary segment.

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To define the support pattern, all we need to do is enter the start and end points of the
pattern, on the external boundary. The points can be entered graphically with the mouse,
by clicking the left mouse button when the red cross is at the desired location. However, we
will use the prompt line to enter the following exact points:
Enter first point on boundary [esc=quit]: 45 32.5
Enter second point on boundary [esc=quit]: 34 27

Your model should appear as follows:

Support Pattern added to slope.

Five support elements have been added to the model, at an angle of –10 degrees from the
horizontal. Each element is 15 meters long, and the spacing between each element is 3
meters (measured along the slope), since these are the values we entered in the Support
Pattern dialog. Now let’s define the properties of the support.

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Support Properties
To define support properties, select Define Support from the toolbar or the Properties
menu.
Select: Properties → Define Support
In Slide, the following support types are available:
• end anchored support (e.g. rock bolts)
• geotextile (e.g. geosynthetic, geogrid)
• grouted tieback
• soil nail
• micro pile
• RSPile pile support element
For this example, we will use Grouted Tieback support.

In the Define Support Properties dialog, select the Grouted Tieback support type. Enter
Bonded Length (percent) = 50, and Bond Strength = 15. Select OK.
Notice that the bonded length of 50% is displayed by drawing a thicker line segment along
the bonded length of each support element. The Bonded Length is always measured from
the END of each element.
NOTE: since our model only uses one type of support, and since you entered properties
with the first (default) support type selected, you do not have to Assign these properties to
the support. Slide automatically assigns the default properties (i.e. the properties of the first
support type in the Define Support Properties dialog) for you.

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Compute
Select Compute to run the analysis.
Select: Analysis → Compute
When you compute a multi-scenario model, you will first see a dialog which allows you to
choose which scenarios are computed.

Make sure the With Tieback Support scenario checkbox is selected, and select OK to
Compute. When the analysis is completed, you are ready to view the results in Interpret.

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Interpret
To view the results of the analysis:
Select: Analysis → Interpret
This will start the Slide Interpret program. You should see the following figure:

Results of analysis after adding tieback support.

The Global Minimum slip surface for a Bishop analysis is displayed. The minimum safety
factor is now 1.464, compared to 0.988 before adding the support.
Tile the views of the two scenarios, so we can compare the results side by side.

Select: Window → Tile Vertically

Click the mouse in each view and select Zoom All (remember you can use the F2 function
key as a shortcut to Zoom All.)
Right-click on the Legend in each view, and select Hide Legend. (Note: to display the Legend
again, you can right-click and select Show Legend, or select Legend Options in the View
menu).
Your screen should look as follows, and we can compare results (select Bishop analysis in
both views).

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Global Minimum before and after adding support.

The effect of the support on the location of the Global Minimum surface can now be seen.
The Global Minimum surface has been forced “outside” of the region reinforced by the
support, and only intersects the ends of the top three tiebacks.
Now view the Minimum surfaces generated at each slip center grid point, for each scenario.
In each view, select the Minimum Surfaces option from the toolbar or the Data menu.
Select: Data → Minimum Surfaces

Minimum Surfaces displayed for both models.

The above figure demonstrates how the support has shifted the minimum slip surfaces
down and to the right, into a “safe” region of higher safety factor.

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NOTE that for both models, exactly the same slip surfaces have been generated and
analyzed, since we did not change the slip center grid, or any other search parameters. The
minimum surfaces displayed on the un-supported slope have been stabilized by the
support, and no longer appear as minimum surfaces in the supported slope. (To see what
happened to some of the formerly unstable surfaces, see the discussion of ACTIVE and
PASSIVE support, at the end of this tutorial).
Now let’s view All Surfaces generated for both models. In each view:

Select: Data → All Surfaces

For each view, select Filter Surfaces from the toolbar or Data menu. In the Filter Surfaces
dialog, select the third option, and enter the number of surfaces = 50. Select Done.

You are now viewing the 50 lowest safety factor circles, of ALL circles analyzed, for each
model, as shown below. Note: for the supported slope, the material colour and slip circle
colour are nearly the same. Let’s change the contour colours so that we can see the slip
circles clearly. Right-click and select Contour Options, and select a different Format option
(e.g. Hot Spots). The slip circles are now clearly visible in both scenarios.

Fifty lowest safety factor circles displayed.

The Filter Surfaces dialog also allows you to view slip surfaces for which no safety factor
could be calculated. Try the following:
1. For the scenario WITH support, maximize the view and select Zoom All.
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2. Select Filter Surfaces. Select the Surfaces With Error Code option, and select Error
Code –107. Select Done.

Surfaces with negative driving moment.

All surfaces with Error Code –107 (negative driving force or moment), are now displayed in
purple on the model, as shown in the above figure. For these slip surfaces, the applied
support loads on the slip surfaces are sufficient to generate an overall negative driving
moment (Bishop analysis). This would tend to move the sliding mass from left to right,
rather than the expected right to left, and hence a valid safety factor cannot be calculated.
This situation can occur when the method of support Force Application = ACTIVE, as
discussed below.
Select the Info Viewer option, where we can view a summary of the number of Valid and
Invalid surfaces which were computed.
Select: Analysis → Info Viewer
Scroll down in the Info Viewer listing, and notice the number of Valid and Invalid Surfaces,
for each analysis method.

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Info Viewer analysis summary.

For this model, over 2400 slip surfaces (i.e. about 50% of all slip surfaces analyzed) resulted
in Invalid slip surfaces. Most of these are due to Error Code –107 (negative driving moment
or force). This is because the method of support Force Application = ACTIVE.
Remember that when we define the support properties, the method of Force Application
can be specified as either ACTIVE or PASSIVE. In this case, we used the default method for
Grouted Tieback support, which is ACTIVE.

• When the method of Force Application = ACTIVE, many surfaces, especially shallow
slip surfaces near the ground surface, may be “stabilized” by a negative driving
force or moment, and display Error Code –107. This is because ACTIVE support
decreases the driving force in the factor of safety calculation.
• However, if the method of Force Application = PASSIVE, valid safety factors can be
calculated for these surfaces. This is because PASSIVE support does NOT decrease
the driving force; instead, it increases the resisting force in the factor of safety
calculation.
As an additional exercise, when you have completed this tutorial:
1. Change the method of Force Application for the tiebacks, to PASSIVE, and re-
run the analysis.
2. Look at the Info Viewer in Interpret. You will see that Error Code –107 no
longer appears, and the total number of Invalid surfaces is much smaller (about
200). All surfaces which previously showed Error Code -107, now have valid
calculated safety factors.
See the end of this tutorial, for more information about ACTIVE and PASSIVE support in
Slide. Close the Info Viewer view.

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Show Support Forces

The support force diagrams for all support elements can be viewed with the Show Support
Forces option.
Select: Data → Show Support Forces

Display of support force diagrams.

To make your screen look similar to the above figure:
1. Turn off All Surfaces, and zoom in to the support.
2. Select Support Force Options from the Data menu or the toolbar. The Support Force
Options dialog allows you to configure the appearance of the support force display.
3. The following settings will display the support forces as shown above. Select Done.

4. Re-display the Legend (right-click and select Show Legend).

5. When Support Forces are displayed, notice that the Legend indicates the failure
mode(s) along the length of the support (red = tensile, green = pullout).
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A support force diagram represents the available support force which can be mobilized by a
given support element, at any point along the length of the support.
Support force diagrams are determined by evaluating each possible failure mode along the
length of the support. For example, for a grouted tieback, the possible failure modes are:
1. Pullout
2. Tensile Failure (of the tieback tendon)
3. Stripping (i.e. support remains embedded in slope).
The failure mode which provides the MINIMUM force, at each point along the length of the
support, determines the Force Diagram.
The Force Diagram and the point of intersection of a slip surface with a support element,
determine the force magnitude which is applied to the slip surface.

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Overview of Support Implementation in SLIDE

The following is a general overview of the support implementation in Slide. For complete
details, please see the Slide Help system.

Intersection with Slip Surface

First of all, in order for the support to have an effect on a given slip surface, the support
must intersect the slip surface. If the support does NOT intersect a slip surface, then NO
support force will be applied to the slip surface, and the support will have no effect on the
safety factor of that slip surface. This is illustrated below.

Support does NOT intersect slip surface – NO effect on safety factor.

Support intersects slip surface – support force will be applied.

Location of Applied Support Force

When support intersects a slip surface, a force is applied at the point of intersection of the
slip surface with the support (i.e. to the base of a single slice). The applied force is simply a
line load, with units of FORCE per unit width of slope.

Support force is applied at the point of intersection with slip surface.

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Orientation of Applied Support Force

The orientation of the applied support force, will depend on the type of support which is
used.
• For End Anchored support, Grouted Tiebacks, and Soil Nails, the orientation of the
applied force is assumed to be parallel to the direction of the support, as shown in
the figure above.
• For GeoTextiles or User Defined support, the support force can be applied tangent
to the slip surface, parallel to the support, at an angle which bisects the tangent and
parallel angles, or at any user defined angle.

Magnitude of Applied Support Force

The magnitude of the applied support force will depend on the support properties entered
in the Define Support Properties dialog. These are used to determine a Force Diagram for
your support. A support Force Diagram simply represents the available force which the
support can apply to the sliding mass, at any point along the length of a support element.

Soil Nail Force Diagram

The Force Diagram and the point of intersection of a slip surface with a support element,
determine the force magnitude which is applied to the slip surface.
For detailed information on how the Force Diagram is determined for each support type,
see the Slide Help system.

Active vs. Passive Support

For each Support Type in the Define Support Properties dialog, the user may choose the
method of Force Application – Active or Passive. The significance of the Force Application
method is as follows.
In general terms, the Factor of Safety is defined as the ratio of the forces resisting motion,
to the driving forces. Driving forces include the mass of each slice accelerated through
gravity, seismic forces, and water in a tension crack. Resisting forces arise from the cohesion
and frictional strength of the slip surface.
Active Support is included in the Slide analysis as in Eqn.1.

resisting force + TN tan φ

F= Eqn.1
driving force − TS
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where TN is the normal component and TS is the shear component of the force applied to
the base of a slice, by the support.
Active Support is assumed to act in such a manner as to DECREASE the DRIVING FORCE in
the Factor of Safety calculation. Grouted Tiebacks, tensioned cables or rock bolts, which
exert a force on the sliding mass before any movement has taken place, could be
considered as Active support.
Passive Support is included in the Slide analysis as in Eqn.2.

resisting force + TN tan φ + TS

F= Eqn.2
driving force
By this definition, Passive Support is assumed to INCREASE the RESISTING FORCE provided
by shear restraint, in the Factor of Safety equation.
Soil nails or geo-textiles, which only develop a resisting force after some movement within
the slope has taken place, could be considered as Passive support.
Since the exact sequence of loading and movement in a slope is never known in advance,
the choice of Active or Passive Force Application is somewhat arbitrary. The user may
decide which of the two methods is more appropriate for the slope and support system
being analyzed.
In general, Passive support will always give a LOWER factor of safety, than Active support
(when a valid factor of safety can be calculated for Active support force application).

Back Analysis of Support Force

Finally, we will mention another very useful feature in Slide – the Back Analysis of support
force option. This option is useful in the preliminary stages of support design.
It allows the user to determine a critical slip surface which requires the MAXIMUM support
force, in order to achieve a specified factor of safety.
The support force magnitude which is determined can be used to estimate the necessary
capacity and spacing of support. The slip surface which is determined can be used to
estimate the required length of support.
For more information on the Back Analysis option, see the Slide Help system. A movie which
illustrates the Back Analysis feature can be found in the Tutorials section of the Help
system.

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