Course Summary & Description: This course reviews the technical criteria and provides guidance for analyzing the static stability of slopes of earth/rock-fill dams and other types of embankments, excavated slopes, and natural slopes in soil and soft rock. These guidelines provide analysis and design techniques which are governed by U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s Manual EM 1110-2-1902.
Successful design requires consistency in the design process. What are considered to be appropriate values of factor of safety are inseparable from the procedures used to measure shear strengths and analyze stability. The student will be cautioned that, where procedures for sampling, testing, or analysis are different from the procedures described in this manual, it is imperative to evaluate the effects of those differences. The stability of dams and slopes must be evaluated, utilizing pertinent geologic information and information regarding in situ engineering properties of soil and rock materials. In these methods, the soil mass above the assumed slip surface is divided into vertical slices for purposes of convenience in analysis, which is the basis of slope stability. It is important to note that several different methods of slices have been developed. However, most failure surfaces are frequently circular in shape. Where zoned embankments or thin foundation layers overlying bedrock are involved, or where weak strata exist within a deposit, the failure surface may consist of interconnected arcs and planes.
This course will review criteria for strength tests, analysis conditions, and factors of safety. The criteria in this engineering manual are to be used with methods of stability analysis that satisfy all conditions of equilibrium. In addition, methods for analysis of slope stability are described and are illustrated by examples in the appendixes. This manual is intended to guide design and construction engineers, rather than to specify rigid procedures to be followed in connection with a particular project. In addition, the student will learn that correct evaluation of shear strength is essential for meaningful analysis of slope stability and learn that the most common methods for limit equilibrium analyses are methods of slices. Shear strengths used in slope stability analyses should be selected with due consideration of factors such as sample disturbance, variability in borrow materials, possible variations in compaction water content and density of fill materials, anisotropy, loading rate, creep effects, and possibly partial drainage. It is important for the student to understand that the responsibility for selecting design strengths lies with the designer, not with the laboratory.
At the completion of this course, the student will have reviewed technical criteria and guidance for analyzing the static stability of slopes of earth/ rock-fill dams and other types of embankments, excavated slopes, and natural slopes in soil and soft rock. The student will also learn the fundamentals of slope stability analysis and its theory and limitations as shown in example problems located in the Appendixes A-G. The objective of this course is to provide guidance on designing and managing dredged materials from the bottom of streams, rivers, lakes, and coastal waters. Confined disposal sites are engineered structures designed to provide required storage volume and to meet required effluent solid standards. According to data prepared by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USCE), the annual quantity of dredged materials is estimated to be 300 million cubic yards. Much of this material is placed in aquatic disposal sites, unconfined disposal areas, or used in wetlands creation or nourishment. It is estimated that about 30% of the dredged materials (90 million cubic yards) is placed in diked disposal areas annually. The guidelines provided in this course can be used for designing, operating, and managing dredged material containment areas. The disposal areas should retain suspended solids during disposal operations and provide adequate storage volume for both short-term and long term disposal needs. Ultimately, the dredged materials must be managed in ways that are compatible with future land-use goals and ensure environmental protection. |
