Slopes in Stiff-fissured Clays and Shales
Abstract
The objective of this investigation was to review existing information concerning slope failures in stiff, fissured clays and shales, and to study the influence of lateral stresses on the stress conditions around excavated slopes. These studies, which were performed using the finite element method of anlaysis, show that the initial horizontal pressures have a considerable influence on the magnitudes of shear stresses following construction. Shear stresses around excavated slopes are much larger for conditions representative of heavily over consolidated clays (high initial horizontal stresses) than for conditions representative of normally consolidated days (low initial horizontal stresses). Shear stresses large enough to cause failure at some points may develop even when the factor of safety calculated much larger than unity. The higher the horizontal stresses before excavation, the higher the factor of safety corresponding to the development of local failure.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1968
- Accession Number
- ADA040183
Entities
People
- James M. Duncan
- Peter Dunlop
Organizations
- University of California, Berkeley