Slide TutorialManual

Slide
2D limit equilibrium slope stability

for soil and rock slopes
User’s Guide
Part 1
 1989 - 2003 Rocscience Inc.

Table of Contents i
Table of Contents
Introduction 1
Slope Stability Analysis.............................................................................. 1
Groundwater Analysis ................................................................................ 2
Probabilistic Analysis ................................................................................. 2
SLIDE Documentation................................................................................. 3
Tutorials................................................................................................... 3
Additional Tutorials.......................................................................... 4
Reference................................................................................................ 5
Verification............................................................................................... 5
PDF Files................................................................................................. 5
Quick Start Tutorial 7

Model............................................................................................................ 8
Limits ....................................................................................................... 8
Project Settings ....................................................................................... 9
Entering Boundaries .............................................................................. 10
Slip Surfaces ......................................................................................... 12
Auto Grid....................................................................................... 12
Slope Limits .................................................................................. 14
Surface Options ............................................................................ 17
Properties .............................................................................................. 18
Analysis Methods .................................................................................. 19
Compute..................................................................................................... 20
Interpret...................................................................................................... 21
Global Minimum Slip Surfaces............................................................... 22
Viewing Minimum Surfaces ................................................................... 24
Viewing All Surfaces.............................................................................. 25
Filter Surfaces ....................................................................................... 26
Data Tips ............................................................................................... 27
Info Viewer............................................................................................. 29
Drawing Tools........................................................................................ 30
ii Table of Contents
Editing Drawing Tools ................................................................... 32

Saving Drawing Tools ................................................................... 33
Exporting Images................................................................................... 34
Export Image................................................................................. 34
Copy to Clipboard ......................................................................... 34
Black and White Images (Grayscale)............................................ 34
Materials & Loading Tutorial 37

Model.......................................................................................................... 38
Limits ..................................................................................................... 38
Project Settings ..................................................................................... 39
Entering Boundaries .............................................................................. 40
Add Material Boundaries............................................................... 40
Add Water Table ........................................................................... 42
Add Distributed Load ............................................................................. 44
Note about Load Magnitude Units................................................. 45
Slip Surfaces ......................................................................................... 45
Properties .............................................................................................. 47
Assigning Properties ..................................................................... 49
Compute..................................................................................................... 50
Interpret...................................................................................................... 51
What is a Query?................................................................................... 53
Add Query ............................................................................................. 54
Graph Query.......................................................................................... 55
More Query Shortcuts................................................................... 56
Customizing a Graph .................................................................... 57
Show Slices ........................................................................................... 58
Query Slice Data ................................................................................... 59
Deleting Queries.................................................................................... 62
Graph SF along Slope ........................................................................... 62
Additional Exercises ................................................................................. 64
Other Search Methods .......................................................................... 64
Maximum Data Output Option ............................................................... 64
Table of Contents iii
Non-Circular Surfaces Tutorial 67

Model.......................................................................................................... 68
Surface Options..................................................................................... 69
Block Search ......................................................................................... 70
More About Block Search Objects ................................................ 73
Compute..................................................................................................... 74
Interpret...................................................................................................... 75
Graph Query.......................................................................................... 78
Model.......................................................................................................... 80
Compute..................................................................................................... 81
Interpret...................................................................................................... 81
Optimize Surfaces..................................................................................... 83
Random Surface Generation.................................................................... 84
Composite Surfaces Tutorial 87

Model.......................................................................................................... 88
Surface Options..................................................................................... 89
What is a Composite Surface?...................................................... 89
Editing Boundaries ................................................................................ 91
Right Click Shortcuts..................................................................... 91
Compute..................................................................................................... 93
Interpret...................................................................................................... 94
Model.......................................................................................................... 97
Compute..................................................................................................... 98
Interpret...................................................................................................... 99
Auto Refine Search Method ................................................................... 100
Water Pressure Grid Tutorial 105

Model........................................................................................................ 106
Limits ................................................................................................... 106
Project Settings ................................................................................... 107
Add External Boundary........................................................................ 108
Adding a Water Pressure Grid............................................................. 108
Defining Ponded Water........................................................................ 112
iv Table of Contents
Add Water Table ......................................................................... 113

Slip Surfaces ....................................................................................... 115
Properties ............................................................................................ 116
Compute................................................................................................... 118
Interpret.................................................................................................... 119
Add Query ........................................................................................... 123
Graph Pore Pressure .................................................................. 123
Acknowledgements................................................................................. 125
Additional Exercises ............................................................................... 126
Ponded Water (variation 1).................................................................. 126
Ponded Water as a No Strength Material ............................................ 127
Support Tutorial 129

Model........................................................................................................ 130
Limits ................................................................................................... 130
Add External Boundary........................................................................ 132
Slip Surfaces ....................................................................................... 132
Properties ............................................................................................ 134
Compute................................................................................................... 135
Interpret.................................................................................................... 135
Model........................................................................................................ 137
Add Support Pattern ............................................................................ 137
Support Properties............................................................................... 139
Compute................................................................................................... 140
Interpret.................................................................................................... 141
Show Support Forces .......................................................................... 148
Overview of Support Implementation in SLIDE .................................... 150
Intersection with Slip Surface .............................................................. 150
Location of Applied Support Force ...................................................... 151
Orientation of Applied Support Force................................................... 151
Magnitude of Applied Support Force ................................................... 152
Active vs. Passive Support .................................................................. 152
Back Analysis of Support Force ............................................................ 154
Table of Contents v
Groundwater Analysis Overview 155

Introduction ............................................................................................. 155
Groundwater Modeling ........................................................................... 156
Groundwater Analysis Mode................................................................ 158
Boundaries .......................................................................................... 158
Meshing............................................................................................... 159
Boundary Conditions ........................................................................... 159
Hydraulic Properties ............................................................................ 160
Groundwater Compute ........................................................................... 161
Groundwater Interpret ............................................................................ 162
Groundwater Tutorial 163

Model........................................................................................................ 164
Boundary Editing ................................................................................. 166
Groundwater Analysis Mode................................................................ 167
Meshing............................................................................................... 168
Boundary Conditions ........................................................................... 169
Automatic Creation of Ponded Water.......................................... 172
Hydraulic Properties ............................................................................ 173
Compute (groundwater).......................................................................... 174
Interpret (groundwater)........................................................................... 175
Water Table......................................................................................... 176
Flow Vectors........................................................................................ 177
Flow Lines ........................................................................................... 178
Iso-Lines.............................................................................................. 180
Queries................................................................................................ 181
Data Tips Query.......................................................................... 183
Model........................................................................................................ 185
Compute................................................................................................... 185
Interpret.................................................................................................... 186
Unsaturated Shear Strength................................................................... 192
vi Table of Contents
More Groundwater Examples 195

Groundwater Verification Examples...................................................... 195
Probabilistic Analysis 197

Sensitivity Analysis................................................................................. 199
Introduction 1
Introduction
SLIDE is a 2D slope stability program for evaluating the
stability of circular or non-circular failure surfaces in soil
or rock slopes. SLIDE is very simple to use, and yet
complex models can be created and analyzed quickly and
easily. External loading, groundwater and support can all
be modeled in a variety of ways.
Slope Stability Analysis
SLIDE analyzes the stability of slip surfaces using

vertical slice limit equilibrium methods. Individual slip
surfaces can be analyzed, or search methods can be
applied to locate the critical slip surface for a given slope.
Features include:
• Critical surface search methods for circular or non-

circular slip surfaces
• Bishop, Janbu, Spencer, GLE / Morgenstern-Price,
and other analysis methods.
• Multiple materials. Anisotropic, non-linear Mohr-
Coulomb materials, and other strength models.
• Groundwater – piezo surfaces, Ru factors, pore
pressure grids, or finite element seepage analysis.
• Probabilistic slope stability analysis
• External loading – line, distributed or seismic
• Support – soil nails, tiebacks, geotextiles, piles. Back
analysis of required support force.
• View any or all surfaces generated by search.
Detailed analysis results can be plotted for
individual slip surfaces
• And much more…
2 SLIDE User’s Guide
Groundwater Analysis
A complete finite element, steady state groundwater

modeling, analysis and data interpretation program, is
built right in to the SLIDE program.
The Groundwater Analysis in SLIDE allows the user to

easily define and analyze a groundwater problem, using
the same model as for the slope stability problem. The
boundaries of the problem only need to be defined once,
and will be used for both the groundwater analysis and
the slope stability analysis.
See the groundwater analysis tutorials at the end of this

manual, for information.
Probabilistic Analysis
SLIDE also has extensive probabilistic analysis

capabilities. In a probabilistic slope stability analysis, the
user may assign statistical distributions to input
parameters, such as material properties, support
properties, loads, water table location, etc.
By assigning a statistical distribution to one or more

model input parameters, this allows the user to account
for the degree of uncertainty in the value of the
parameters. This results in a distribution of safety
factors, from which a probability of failure (or reliability
index) for the slope can be calculated.
Probabilistic slope stability analysis should be seen as a

complementary approach to traditional deterministic
(safety factor) analyses. A great deal of valuable insight
can be obtained from a probabilistic slope analysis.
Examples of probabilistic analysis using SLIDE, can be

found in the SLIDE User’s Guide – Part 2.
Introduction 3
SLIDE Documentation
The documentation for the SLIDE program is organized

as follows:
1. Tutorials (User’s Guide)
2. Reference (Help system)
3. Verification.
Tutorials
Tutorials are found in the SLIDE User’s Guide, the
manual you are now reading. The SLIDE User’s Guide
consists of the following tutorials.
• The first six tutorials deal with different aspects of

slope stability analysis.
• The last two tutorials explain how to carry out a

groundwater analysis with SLIDE, and how it is
integrated with the slope stability analysis.
FILES DESCRIPTION
tutorial1 Quick Start Tutorial – a simple tutorial

.sli which will get the user familiar with the basic
modeling and data interpretation features of
SLIDE.
tutorial2 Materials / Loading Tutorial – introduction

.sli to the use of multiple materials and external
loads, using a slope model with a weak layer.
tutorial3 Non-Circular Surfaces Tutorial – a non-

.sli circular surface search is performed, using the
same model as tutorial 2.
tutorial4 Composite Surfaces Tutorial – a composite

.sli circular / non-circular surface search is
performed, using a modified version of the
tutorial 2 model.
tutorial5 Water Pressure Grid Tutorial – how to

.sli model water pressure using a water pressure
grid.
tutorial6 Support Tutorial – how support can be

.sli modeled in SLIDE.
(none) Groundwater Overview – an overview of

the procedure used to carry out a groundwater
analysis with SLIDE.
tutorial7 Groundwater Tutorial – a simple

.sli groundwater analysis, using the same model
as tutorial 5. The slope stability analysis is re-
run, and results compared with tutorial 5.
It is recommended that the user follow the step-by-step

instructions to create the models themselves. If the user
wishes to skip the modeling process, the finished product
of each tutorial can be found in the EXAMPLES folder in
your SLIDE installation folder, in the files indicated.
For information on any SLIDE options which are not

covered in the SLIDE tutorials, consult the SLIDE Help
system.
Additional Tutorials
Additional tutorials, covering Probabilistic slope stability
and other topics, can be found in the User’s Guide – Part
2. This is available as a PDF document, and can be
printed if desired.
Introduction 5
Reference
Detailed reference information on all of the options in the
SLIDE program is found in the SLIDE Help system. To
access the Help system:
Select: Help → Help Topics
in either the SLIDE Model or SLIDE Interpret programs.
If you wish to have a paper copy of the SLIDE reference

information, PDF documents are available, which can be
printed. See below for details.
Verification
Verification examples are documented in the SLIDE
Verification Manual, and the Groundwater Verification
Manual. These are both available as PDF files. See below
for details.
The verification model files can be found in the Slope

Stability Verification and Groundwater Verification sub-
folders, in the EXAMPLES folder in your SLIDE
installation folder.
PDF Files
The SLIDE Tutorial, Advanced Tutorial, Model
Reference, Interpret Reference, and Verification
documents are all available as PDF (portable document
format) files.
• The PDF documents can be found in the Manuals
folder in your SLIDE installation folder.
• They can also be accessed through the Windows Start

menu (Start → Programs → Rocscience → Slide 5.0 →
Manuals), or while you are running SLIDE, through
the SLIDE Help menu.
• The PDF documents can also be downloaded from our

website www.rocscience.com.
PDF files are viewed with Adobe Acrobat reader. The

PDF documents can be printed, if you wish to have paper
copies of the SLIDE Reference or Verification
documentation.
Quick Start Tutorial
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This “quick start” tutorial will demonstrate some of the

basic features of SLIDE using the simple model shown
above, and show how quickly and easily a model can be
created and analyzed with SLIDE.
MODEL FEATURES:
• homogeneous, single material slope

• no water pressure (dry)
• circular slip surface search (Grid Search)
NOTE: the finished product of this tutorial can be found

in the tutorial1.sli data file, which you should find in the
EXAMPLES folder in your SLIDE installation folder.
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 5.0 → Slide.
If the SLIDE application window is not already

maximized, maximize it now, so that the full screen is
available for viewing the model.
Note that when the SLIDE MODEL program is started, a

new blank document is already opened, allowing you to
begin creating a model immediately.
Limits
Let’s first set the limits of the drawing region, so that we
can see the model being created as we enter the geometry.
Select: View → Limits
Enter the following minimum and maximum x-y

coordinates in the View Limits dialog. Select OK.
Figure 1-1: View Limits dialog.

These limits will approximately center the model in the

drawing region, when you enter it as described below.
Project Settings
Although we do not need to set any Project Settings for
this tutorial, let’s briefly examine the Project Settings
dialog.
Select: Analysis → Project Settings
Figure 1-2: Project Settings dialog.
Various important modeling and analysis options are set

in the Project Settings dialog, including Failure Direction,
Units of Measurement, Analysis Methods and
Groundwater Method.
We will be using all of the default selections in Project

Settings, however, you may enter a Project Title – Quick
Start Tutorial. Select OK.
Entering Boundaries
The first boundary that must be defined for every SLIDE
model, is the EXTERNAL BOUNDARY.
An EXTERNAL BOUNDARY The External Boundary in SLIDE is a closed polyline

must be defined for every encompassing the soil region you wish to analyze. In
SLIDE model.
general:
• The upper segments of the External Boundary

represent the slope surface you are analyzing.
• The left, right and lower extents of the External

Boundary are arbitrary, and can be extended as far
out as the user deems necessary for a complete
analysis of the problem.
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=quit]: 0 0

Enter vertex [u=undo,esc=quit]: 130 0
Enter vertex [c=close,u=undo,esc=quit]: 80 50
Enter vertex [c=close,u=undo,esc=quit]: 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.
Your screen should now look as follows:

Figure 1-3: External Boundary is created.
Note:
• Boundaries can also be entered graphically in SLIDE,

by simply clicking the left mouse button at the desired
coordinates.
• The Snap options can be used for entering exact

coordinates graphically. See the SLIDE Help system
for information about the Snap options.
• Any combination of graphical and prompt line entry

can be used to enter boundary vertices.
Slip Surfaces
SLIDE can analyze the stability of either circular or non-
circular slip surfaces. Individual surfaces can be
analyzed, or a critical surface search can be performed, to
attempt to find the slip surface with the lowest factor of
safety.
In this “quick start” tutorial, we will perform a critical
surface search, for circular slip surfaces. In SLIDE, there
are 3 Search Methods available for circular slip surfaces:
• Grid Search, Slope Search or Auto Refine Search.
We will use the Grid Search, which is the default method.

A Grid Search requires a grid of slip centers.
Auto Grid
Slip center grids can be user-defined (Add Grid option) or
automatically created by SLIDE (Auto Grid option). For
this tutorial we will use the Auto Grid option.
Select: Surfaces → Auto Grid
You will see the Grid Spacing dialog. We will use the
default number of intervals (20 x 20), so just select OK,
and the grid will be created.
Figure 1-4: Grid Spacing dialog.

NOTE: By default, the actual locations of the slip centers

within the grid are not displayed. You can turn them on
in the Display Options dialog. Right-click the mouse and
select Display Options from the popup menu. Check the
“Show grid points on search grid” option, and select Close.
Your screen should look as follows.
Figure 1-5: Slip center grid created with Auto Grid.
Note that the 20 x 20 grid interval spacing actually gives

a grid of 21 x 21 = 441 slip centers.
Each center in a slip center grid, represents the center of

rotation of a series of slip circles. SLIDE automatically
determines the circle radii at each grid point, based on
the Slope Limits, and the Radius Increment. The Radius
Increment, entered in the Surface Options dialog,
determines the number of circles generated at each grid
point.
How SLIDE performs a circular surface search, using the

Slope Limits and the Radius Increment, is discussed in
the next section.
Slope Limits
When you created the External Boundary, you will notice
the two triangular markers displayed at the left and right
limits of the upper surface of the External Boundary.
These are the Slope Limits.
The Slope Limits are automatically calculated by SLIDE

as soon as the External Boundary is created, or whenever
editing operations (eg. moving vertices) are performed on
the External Boundary.
The Slope Limits serve two purposes in a SLIDE circular

surface analysis:
1. FILTERING – All slip surfaces must intersect the

External Boundary, within the Slope Limits. If the
start and end points of a slip surface are NOT within
the Slope Limits, then the slip surface is discarded (ie.
not analyzed). See Figure 1-6.
Figure 1-6: Slope Limits filtering for valid surfaces.
2. CIRCLE GENERATION – The sections of the

External Boundary between the Slope Limits define
the slope surface to be analyzed. The slope surface is
used to generate the slip circles for a Grid Search, as
follows:
• For each slip center grid point, suitable Minimum

and Maximum radii are determined, based on the
distances from the slip center to the slope surface,
as shown in Figure 1-7.
• The Radius Increment is then used to determine

the number of slip circles generated between the
minimum and maximum radii circles at each grid
point.
Figure 1-7: Method of slip circle generation for Grid Search, using
Slope Limits and Radius Increment.
NOTE:
• The Radius Increment is the number of intervals

between the minimum and maximum circle radii at
each grid point. Therefore the number of slip circles
generated at each grid point is equal to the Radius
Increment + 1.
• The total number of slip circles generated by a Grid

Search, is therefore = (Radius Increment + 1) x (total
# of grid slip centers). For this example, this equals 11
x 21 x 21 = 4851 slip circles.
Changing the Slope Limits

The default Slope Limits calculated by SLIDE will, in
general, give the maximum coverage for a Grid Search. If
you wish to narrow the Grid Search to more specific areas
of the model, the Slope Limits can be customized with the
Define Limits dialog.
Select: Surfaces → Slope Limits → Define Limits
Figure 1-8: Define Slope Limits dialog.
The Define Slope Limits dialog allows the user to

customize the left and right Slope Limits, or even to
define two sets of limits (eg. to define allowable ranges for
slip surface starting and ending points).
We are using the default Slope Limits for this tutorial,

however, it is suggested that the user experiment with
different Slope Limits, after completing this tutorial.
Select Cancel in the Define Slope Limits dialog.
NOTE: the Slope Limits can also be moved graphically,

using the mouse, with the Move Limits option.
Surface Options
Let’s take a look at the Surface Options dialog.
Select: Surfaces → Surface Options
Figure 1-9: Surface Options dialog.
Note:
• The default Surface Type is Circular, which is what

we are using for this tutorial.
• The Radius Increment used for the Grid Search, is

entered in this dialog.
• The Composite Surfaces option is discussed in the

Composite Surfaces Tutorial.
We are using the default Surface Options, so select Cancel

in the Surface Options dialog.
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) tab selected.
9 Enter:
9 Name = soil 1
9 Unit Weight = 19
Strength Type = Mohr-Coul
9 Cohesion = 5
9 Phi = 30
Water Surface = None
Figure 1-10: Define Material Properties dialog.
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)
tab selected, you do not have to Assign these properties to
the model. SLIDE automatically assigns the default
properties (ie. the properties of the first material in the
Define Material Properties dialog) for you.
(Remember that when you created the External

Boundary, the area inside the boundary was
automatically filled with the colour of the first material in
the Define Material Properties dialog. This represents the
default property assignment.)
For multiple material models, it is necessary for the user

to assign properties with the Assign Properties option. We
will deal with assigning properties in Tutorial 2.
Analysis Methods
Before we run the analysis, let’s examine the Analysis
Methods that are available in SLIDE.
Figure 1-11: Analysis Methods dialog.
Select the Methods tab in the Project Settings dialog.
By default, Bishop and Janbu limit equilibrium analysis

methods, are the selected Analysis Methods.
However, the user may select any or all analysis methods,

and all selected methods will be run when Compute is
selected. See the SLIDE Help system for information
about the different analysis methods, and the
assumptions used in each.
For this tutorial, we will only use the default analysis

methods – Bishop and Janbu. Select Cancel in the Project
Settings dialog.
We are now finished with the modeling, and can proceed

to run the analysis and interpret the results.
Compute
Before you analyze your model, save it as a file called

quick.sli. (SLIDE model files have a .SLI 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:
Figure 1-12: Results of Grid Search.
By default, when a computed file is first opened in the

SLIDE INTERPRETER, you will always see:
• The Global Minimum slip surface, for the BISHOP

Simplified analysis method (if a Bishop analysis was
run)
• If a Grid Search has been performed, you will see

contours of safety factor in the slip center grid. The
contours are based on the MINIMUM calculated
safety factor at each grid slip center.
The Global Minimum slip surface, and the contoured grid

are both visible in Figure 1-12.
Global Minimum Slip Surfaces

For a given analysis method, the Global Minimum slip
surface is the slip surface with the LOWEST factor of
safety, of all slip surfaces analyzed.
The analysis method is displayed in the Toolbar at the top

of the SLIDE INTERPRET screen.
The Global Minimum safety factor is displayed beside the

slip center for the surface. In this case, for a Bishop
analysis, the overall minimum safety factor is 1.141.
To view the Global Minimum safety factor and surface for

other analysis methods, simply use the mouse to select a
method from the drop-down list in the toolbar. For
example, select the Janbu Simplified method, and observe
the results. In general, the Global Minimum safety factor
and slip surface, can be different for each analysis
method.
Tip – while the analysis method is selected in the toolbar,

if you have a mouse with a mouse wheel, you can scroll
through the analysis methods by moving the mouse wheel.
This allows you to quickly compare analysis results,
without having to select the analysis method each time.
It is very important to note the following –
• The term “Global Minimum” should be used with

caution. The Global Minimum surfaces displayed
after an analysis, are only as good as your search
techniques, and may not necessarily be the lowest
possible safety factor surfaces for a given model.
Depending on your search methods and parameters,
SURFACES WITH LOWER SAFETY FACTORS
MAY EXIST!!! (For example, grid location, grid
interval spacing, Radius Increment and Slope Limits,
will all affect the results of the Grid Search.)
Also note –
• In the current example, for the Bishop and Janbu

analysis methods, the Global Minimum surface is the
same for both methods. HOWEVER, IN GENERAL,
THE GLOBAL MINIMUM SURFACE FOR EACH
ANALYSIS METHOD, WILL NOT NECESSARILY
BE THE SAME SURFACE!!!
The display of the Global Minimum surface, may be

toggled on or off by selecting the Global Minimum option
from the toolbar or the Data menu.
Select: Data → Global Minimum
The Global Minimum is hidden.
Select: Data → Global Minimum
The Global Minimum is displayed.

Viewing Minimum Surfaces

Remember that the Grid Search is performed by
generating circles of different radii at each grid point in a
slip center grid.
To view the minimum safety factor surface generated AT

EACH GRID POINT, select the Minimum Surfaces option
in the toolbar or the Data menu.
Select: Data → Minimum Surfaces
Figure 1-13: Circular surface search – Mimimum Surfaces shown.
As shown in Figure 1-13, SLIDE will draw the minimum

slip surfaces, with colours corresponding to the safety
factor contours in the grid, and in the legend (visible in
the upper left corner).
Again, as with the Global Minimum, note that the

Minimum Surfaces correspond to the currently selected
analysis method. (ie. if you select different analysis
methods, you may see different surfaces displayed).
Viewing All Surfaces

To view ALL valid slip surfaces generated by the analysis,
select the All Surfaces option from the toolbar or the Data
menu.
Select: Data → All Surfaces
Again, note that the slip surfaces are colour coded

according to safety factor, and that safety factors will vary
according to the analysis method chosen.
Figure 1-14: Circular surface search – All Surfaces shown.
NOTE: since the slip surfaces overlap, SLIDE draws the

slip surfaces starting with the HIGHEST safety factors,
and ending with the LOWEST safety factors, so that the
slip surfaces with the lowest safety factors are always
visible (ie. they are drawn last).
The All Surfaces option is very useful for visualizing all of

the valid surfaces generated by your analysis. It may
indicate:
• areas in which to concentrate a search, in order to

find a lower Global Minimum, using some of the
various techniques provided in SLIDE. For example,
customizing the Slope Limits, as discussed earlier in
this tutorial, or using the Focus Search options in the
Surfaces menu.
• areas which have been insufficiently covered by the

search, again, necessitating a change in the search
parameters (eg. location of the slip center grid, or a
larger value of Radius Increment).
Filter Surfaces
When displaying either the Minimum Surfaces, or All
Surfaces, as described above, you can filter the surfaces
you would like displayed, using the Filter Surfaces option
in the toolbar or the Data menu.
Select: Data → Filter Surfaces
Figure 1-15: Filter Surfaces option.
Filtering can be done by safety factor, or by a specified

number of lowest surfaces (eg. the 10 lowest safety factor
surfaces). To see the results of applying the filter
parameters, without closing the dialog, use the Apply
button.
For example, select the “Surfaces with a factor of safety

below” option. Leave the default safety factor value of 2.
Only surfaces with a factor of safety less than 2 are now
displayed. Select Done.
Figure 1-16: All slip surfaces with safety factor < 2.
Data Tips
The Data Tips feature in SLIDE allows the user to obtain
model and analysis information by simply placing the
mouse cursor over any model entity or location on the
screen.
To enable Data Tips, click on the box on the Status Bar

(at the bottom of the SLIDE application window), which
says Data Tips. By default, it should indicate Data Tips
Off. When you click on this box, it will toggle through 3
different data tip modes – Off, Min and Max. Click on this
box until it displays Data Tips Max.
Now move the mouse cursor over the model, and you will
see that the material properties of the soil are displayed.
Place the cursor over different entities of the model, and
see what information is displayed. Virtually all model
information is available using Data Tips, for example:
• slip surface safety factor, center and radius

• vertex coordinates
• grid coordinates
• contour values within slip center grids
• slope limit coordinates
• support properties
• etc etc
Click on the Status Bar and toggle Data Tips Off. You can
experiment with the Data Tips option in later tutorials.
NOTE that Data Tips can also be toggled through the
View menu.
Figure 1-17: Data Tips display of material properties.

Info Viewer
The Info Viewer option in the toolbar or the Analysis
menu, displays a summary of SLIDE model and analysis
information, in its own view.
Select: Analysis → Info Viewer
Figure 1-18: SLIDE Info Viewer listing.
The Info Viewer information can be copied to the

clipboard using the Copy option in the toolbar or the Edit
menu, or by right-clicking in the view and selecting Copy.
From the clipboard, the information can be pasted into
word processing programs for report writing.
The Info Viewer information can also be saved to a text

file (*.txt – plain text, no formatting preserved), or a rich-
text file (*.rtf – preserves formatting, as displayed in the
Info Viewer). The Save As text file options are available
in the File menu, (while the Info Viewer is the active
view), or by right-clicking in the Info Viewer view.
The Info Viewer information can also be sent directly to

your printer using the Print option in the toolbar or File
menu.
Close the Info Viewer view, by selecting the X in the

upper right corner of the view.
Drawing Tools
In the Tools menu or the toolbar, a wide variety of
drawing and annotation options are available for
customizing views. We will briefly demonstrate some of
these options.
First, let’s add an arrow to the view, pointing at the

Global Minimum surface. Select the Arrow option from
the Tools toolbar or the Tools menu.
Select: Tools → Add Tool → Arrow
Click the mouse at two points on the screen, to add an

arrow pointing at the Global Minimum surface. Now add
some text.
Select: Tools → Add Tool → Text Box
Click the mouse at a point near the tail of the arrow. You
will see the Add Text dialog. The Add Text dialog allows
you to type any text and add it to the screen. The
convenient Auto-Text option can be used to annotate the
model with pre-formatted input and output data.
For example:
1. In the Add Text dialog, select the Global Minimum

“+” box (NOT the checkbox). Then select the Method:
Bishop Simplified “+” box. Then select the Method:
Bishop Simplified checkbox.
2. The dialog should appear as follows:

Figure 1-19: Add Text dialog.
3. Now select the Insert Auto-text button. The Global

Minimum surface information for the Bishop analysis
method, will be added to the editing area at the left of
the Add Text dialog.
4. Now select OK. The text is added to the view, and

your screen should look similar to Figure 1-20.
Figure 1-20: Auto-text and arrow added to view.

Editing Drawing Tools

We will now describe the following properties of all
drawing tools added through the Tools menu options:
Right-click
If you right-click the mouse on a drawing tool, you will see

a popup menu, which makes available various editing
options.
For example:
• right-click on the arrow. Delete, Format and

Duplicate options are available in the popup menu.
• right-click on the text box. Various options are
available, including Format, Edit Text, Rotate and
Delete.
Single-click
If you single-click the left mouse button on a drawing tool,

this will “select” the tool, and you will see the “control
points” highlighted on the tool. While in this mode:
• You can click and drag the control points, to re-size

the tool.
• If you hover the mouse over any part of the drawing
tool, but NOT on a control point, you will see the four-
way arrow cursor, allowing you to click and drag the
entire drawing tool to a new location.
• You can delete the tool by pressing Delete on the
keyboard.
Double-click
If you double-click the mouse on a drawing tool, you will

see the Format Tool dialog. The Format Tool dialog allows
the user to customize styles, colours etc. Only the options
applicable to the clicked-on tool, will be enabled in the
Format Tool dialog. (Note: this is the same Format option
available when you right-click on a tool).
It is left as an optional exercise, for the user to

experiment with the various editing options that are
available for each Tools option.
Saving Drawing Tools

All drawing tools added to a view through the Tools
menu, can be saved, so that you do not have to re-create
drawings each time you open a file.
• The Save Tools option in the toolbar or the File menu,

will automatically save a tools file with the same
name as the corresponding SLIDE file. In this case,
the tools file will automatically be opened when the
SLIDE file is opened in INTERPRET, and you will
immediately see the saved drawing tools on the
opening view.
• The Export Tools option in the File menu, can be used

to save a tools file with a DIFFERENT name from the
original SLIDE file. In this case, you will have to use
the Import Tools option to display the tools on the
model. This allows you, for example, to save different
tools files, corresponding to various views of a model.
• Tools files have a *.SLT filename extension
NOTE: When you save a TOOLS file, only drawing tools

of the current (active) view are saved.
Exporting Images
In SLIDE, various options are available for exporting
image files.
Export Image
The Export Image option in the File menu or the right-
click menu, allows the user to save the current view
directly to one of four image file formats:
• JPEG (*.jpg)
• Windows Bitmap (*.bmp)
• Windows Enhanced Metafile (*.emf)
• Windows Metafile (*.wmf)
Copy to Clipboard
The current view can also be copied to the Windows
clipboard using the Copy option in the toolbar or the Edit
menu. This will place a bitmap image on the clipboard
which can be pasted directly into word or image
processing applications.
Black and White Images (Grayscale)

The Grayscale option, available in the toolbar or the View
menu, will automatically convert the current view to
Grayscale, suitable for black and white image
requirements. This is useful when sending images to a
black and white printer, or for capturing black and white
image files.
The Grayscale option works as a toggle, and all previous

colour settings of the current view will be restored when
Grayscale is toggled off
We have now covered most of the basic features in the

SLIDE INTERPRET program, except the ability to obtain
detailed analysis information for individual slip surfaces,
using the Query menu options. This is covered in the next
tutorial.
That concludes this Quick Start Tutorial. To exit the

program:
Select: File → Exit

Materials & Loading Tutorial
This tutorial will demonstrate how to model a more

complex multi-material slope, with both pore water
pressure and an external load.
MODEL FEATURES:
• multiple material slope, with weak layer

• pore pressure defined by water table
• uniformly distributed external load
• circular slip surface search (Grid Search)

Model

Limits

Figure 2-1: View Limits dialog.

Project Settings
dialog.
Figure 2-2: Project Settings dialog.
Select the Groundwater tab.
Notice the various methods of defining pore pressure

conditions in SLIDE. For this tutorial, we will be using
the default (Groundwater Method = Water Surfaces). This
allows pore pressure to be calculated from a Water Table
or Piezometric surfaces.

Settings, however, select the General tab, and enter a
Project Title – Materials & Loading Tutorial. Select OK.
Entering Boundaries
model, is the EXTERNAL BOUNDARY (see the Quick
Start Tutorial for a definition of the External Boundary in
SLIDE).
To add the External Boundary, select Add External

Boundary from the toolbar or the Boundaries menu.


Enter vertex [c=close,u=undo,esc=quit]:100 36

Boundary option.
Add Material Boundaries

Material boundaries are used in SLIDE to define the
boundaries between different material zones within the
External Boundary. Let’s add two material boundaries, to
define the location of a weak layer.
Select: Boundaries → Add Material Boundary

Since we planned ahead, there are already vertices on the

External Boundary, which we can graphically “snap” to.
1. First make sure that the Snap option is enabled on

the Status Bar. When Snap is enabled, the cursor will
change to a circle when it is positioned over a vertex,
allowing you to snap exactly to the vertex.
2. Position the cursor over the External Boundary
vertex at ( 5 , 18 ) and click the left mouse button.
3. Position the cursor over the External Boundary
vertex at ( 100 , 36 ) and click the left mouse button.
4. Right-click the mouse and select Done.
The first material boundary has been added. Now add a

second material boundary.
Select: Boundaries → Add Material Boundary
Repeat steps 2 – 4, to add a second material boundary, by

snapping to the External Boundary vertices at ( 5 , 16 )
and ( 100 , 34 ). Your model should look as follows:
Figure 2-3: External and material boundaries added.

Add Water Table

Now let’s add the water table, in order to define the pore
pressure conditions.
Select: Boundaries → Add Water Table
You should still be in Snap mode, so use the mouse to

snap the first two vertices to existing External Boundary
vertices, and enter the rest of the vertices in the prompt
line.
Enter vertex [esc=quit]: use the mouse to snap to

the vertex at 5 28
Enter vertex [u=undo,esc=quit]: use the mouse to
snap to the vertex at 43 28
Enter vertex [c=close,u=undo,esc=quit]: 80 38.5
Enter vertex [c=close,u=undo,esc=quit]: 100 38.5
Enter vertex [c=close,u=undo,esc=quit]:press Enter
or right-click and select Done
You will now see the Assign Water Table dialog.

This dialog allows you to assign the Water Table to the

materials in your model, by selecting the checkbox for the
desired materials. The Water Table must be assigned to
materials, so that the program knows how pore pressure is
to be calculated for each material.
By default, when you add a Water Table, all checkboxes

in the dialog are selected. This is sufficient for our
purposes, so just select OK. The Water Table will be
added to the model, and automatically assigned to all
materials in the model.
As you can see, we have added a Water Table coincident

with the ground surface at the foot of the slope, and
slightly below ground surface towards the crest.
NOTE:
• The assigning of the Water Table to materials, can

also be done in the Define Material Properties
dialog. The Assign Water Table dialog is simply a
convenient shortcut which allows you to assign the
Water Table to all materials at once, rather than
individually with the Define Material Properties
dialog.
• IMPORTANT NOTE: the Water Table MUST BE

DEFINED ACROSS ALL MATERIALS for which
pore pressure is to be calculated using the Water
Table. If it is not, then the analysis will not be able
to calculate the pore pressure for slip surfaces where
the Water Table is not defined, and a safety factor
will NOT BE CALCULATED. Therefore, always
make sure that the Water Table spans all applicable
material zones of the model, or the slope will not be
analyzed where the Water Table is undefined.
Add Distributed Load

In SLIDE, external loads can be defined as either
concentrated line loads, or distributed loads. For this
tutorial, we will add a uniformly distributed load near the
crest of the slope. Select Add Distributed Load from the
toolbar or the Loading menu.
Select: Loading → Add Distributed Load
You will see the Add Distributed Load dialog.
9 Enter:
Orientation = normal
9 Magnitude = 50
Type = constant
Enter a Magnitude = 50. Leave all other parameters at

their default settings. Select OK.
Now as you move the cursor, you will see a small red
cross which follows the cursor and snaps to the nearest
point on the nearest boundary.
You may enter the location of the load graphically, by

clicking the left mouse button when the red cross is at the
desired starting and ending points of the distributed load.
However, to enter exact coordinates, it is easier in this
case to enter the coordinates in the prompt line.
Enter first point on boundary [esc=quit]: 70 40

Enter second point on boundary [esc=quit]: 80 40
The distributed load will be added to the model after you

enter the second point. The distributed load is
represented by red arrows pointing normal (downwards,
in this case) to the External Boundary, between the two
points you entered. The magnitude is also displayed.
Note about Load Magnitude Units

It is important to note that the true UNITS of the
distributed load magnitude, are KN / m2 (ie. force per unit
area), when considering the out-of-plane dimension of the
model. The units shown in the dialog (KN / m) refer to the
2-dimensional model. Since the limit equilibrium analysis
is performed on a 1 meter wide width of slope, the load
magnitude per linear meter along the slope boundary, is
equal to the load magnitude per square meter.
Slip Surfaces
For this tutorial, we will be performing a circular surface
Grid Search, to attempt to locate the critical slip surface
(ie. the slip surface with the lowest safety factor).
A Grid Search requires a grid of slip centers to be defined.

We will use the Auto Grid option, which automatically
locates a grid for the user.
You will see the Grid Spacing dialog.

Enter an interval spacing of 20 x 20. Select OK.
The Grid will be added to the model, and your screen

should appear as follows:
Figure 2-4: Water table, external load and grid added to model.
NOTE: slip center grids, and the circular surface Grid

Search, are discussed in more detail in the Quick Start
Tutorial. Please refer to that tutorial, or the SLIDE Help
system, for more information.
Properties
It’s time to define our material properties. Select Define
Materials from the toolbar or the Properties menu.
With the first (default) tab selected in the Define

Materials dialog, enter the following properties:
9 Enter:
9 Name = soil 1
9 Unit Weight = 19
9 Cohesion = 28.5
9 Phi = 20
9 Water Surf. = Water Table
Hu = 1
Enter the parameters shown above. Notice that the Water

Surface = Water Table, because we already assigned the
Water Table to all materials in the model, with the Assign
Water Table dialog, when we created the Water Table.
When all parameters are entered for the first material,
select the second tab, and enter the properties for the weak
soil layer.
9 Enter:
9 Name = weak layer
9 Unit Weight = 18.5
9 Cohesion = 0
9 Phi = 10
9 Water Surf. = Water Table
Hu = 1
Enter the properties, and select OK when finished.
Note the following about the Water Parameters:
• Water Surface = Water Table means that the Water

Table will be used for pore pressure calculations for
the material.
For users unfamiliar with the Hu Value:
• In SLIDE, the Hu coefficient is defined as the factor

by which the vertical distance to a water table (or
piezo line) is multiplied to obtain the pressure head.
hp
d
It may range between 0 and 1. Hu = 1 would indicate
hydrostatic conditions. Hu = 0 would indicate a dry
soil, and intermediate values are used to simulate
H u = hp / d
head loss due to seepage, as shown in the margin
figure.
Assigning Properties
Since we have defined two materials, it will be necessary
to assign properties to the correct regions of the model,
using the Assign Properties option.
Select Assign Properties from the toolbar or the

Properties menu.
Select: Properties → Assign Properties
You will see the Assign Properties dialog, shown in the

margin.
Before we proceed, note that:
• By default, when boundaries are created, SLIDE

automatically assigns the properties of the first
material in the Define Material Properties dialog, to
all soil regions of the model.
• Therefore, in this case, we only need to assign

properties to the weak layer of the model. The soil
above and below the weak layer, already has the
correct properties, of the first material which we
defined.
To assign properties to the weak layer will only take two

mouse clicks:
1. Use the mouse to select the “weak layer” soil, in the

Assign Properties dialog (notice that the material
names are the names you entered in the Define
Material Properties dialog).
2. Now place the cursor anywhere in the “weak layer” of

the model (ie. anywhere in the narrow region between
the two material boundaries), and click the left mouse
button.
That’s it, properties are assigned. Notice that the weak

layer zone now has the colour of the weak layer material.
Close the Assign Properties dialog by selecting the X in
the upper right corner of the dialog (or you can press the
Escape key to close the dialog).
We are now finished creating the model, and can proceed

Compute

ml_circ.sli. (SLIDE model files have a .SLI filename
extension).

the analysis. When completed, you are ready to view the
results in INTERPRET.
Interpret

As you can see, the Global Minimum slip circle, for the
Bishop analysis method, passes through the weak layer,
and is partially underneath the distributed load.
The weak layer and the external load clearly have an

influence on the stability of this model, and the Global
Minimum safety factor (Bishop analysis) is 0.798,
indicating an unstable situation (safety factor < 1). This
slope will require support, or other design modifications,
if it is to be stabilized.
Using the drop-down list in the toolbar, select other

analysis methods, and view the Global Minimum surface
for each. In this case, the actual surface, for the methods
used (Bishop and Janbu) is the same, although different
safety factors are calculated by each method.
In general, the Global Minimum surface will not

necessarily be the same surface, for each analysis method.
See the Quick Start Tutorial for further discussion about
the Global Minimum surface.
Now select the Minimum Surfaces option from the toolbar

or the Data menu, in order to view the minimum surface
calculated at each grid point in the slip center grid.
The effect of the weak layer is even more dramatically

visible. The minimum circles with the lowest safety
factors are all tending to pass through the weak layer, as
illustrated in the figure below.
Figure 2-6: Minimum slip surfaces, passing through weak layer.

To view all circles generated by the analysis:
The effect of the weak layer is visible with all circles

displayed. Now switch back to viewing the Minimum
Surfaces, and we will discuss how to view detailed
analysis results, for individual surfaces, using the Query
menu options.
What is a Query?
A Query, in the SLIDE INTERPRET program, is simply a
slip surface which has been selected with the Add Query
option, for the purpose of viewing and plotting detailed
analysis results along the slip surface (eg. Base Normal
Stress, Mobilized Shear Resistance, Pore Pressure,
Interslice forces, etc).
It is important to note that the Data Output option in

Project Settings, determines which surfaces will be
available for creating a Query:
If Data Output = Standard, • If Data Output = Standard, then detailed analysis

then a Query can only be data is saved in the SLIDE output file, for the Global
created for the Global Minimum surface ONLY.
Minimum.
• If Data Output = Maximum, then detailed analysis

data is saved for the minimum surface at each grid
point (for a circular surface Grid Search).
In this tutorial, we have used the default Data Output =

Standard, and can therefore only create a Query for the
Global Minimum surface. See the suggested exercises at
the end of this tutorial, for a discussion of the Data
Output = Maximum option.
Add Query
A Query can be created by selecting the Add Query option
from the toolbar or the Query menu.
This allows you to select any slip surface for which

detailed analysis results are available. For the current
example, detailed analysis results are only available for
the Global Minimum slip surface, as discussed in the
previous section.
When it is only required to create a Query for the Global

Minimum, there are several time-saving shortcuts
available to the user. For example:
1. Right-click the mouse anywhere on the Global

Minimum slip surface.
TIP: a short-cut for adding a
Query on the Global Minimum
– right-click on the Global NOTE: you may click on the slip surface, or on the
Minimum, and select Add
Query from the popup menu.
radial lines joining the slip center to the slip surface
endpoints.
2. Select Add Query from the popup menu, and a Query

will be created for the Global Minimum.
3. NOTE that the colour of the Global Minimum surface

changes to black, to indicate that a query has been
added. (Queries are displayed using black. The Global
Minimum, before the query was added, was displayed
in green.)
You will find this a useful and frequently used shortcut

for adding a Query for the Global Minimum.
Other shortcuts for adding and graphing Queries are

described in the following sections.
Graph Query
The main reason for creating a Query, is to be able to
graph detailed analysis results for the slip surface.
This is done with the Graph Query option in the toolbar

or the Query menu.
Select: Query → Graph Query
NOTE:
• If only a single query exists, as in the current

example, it will automatically be selected as soon as
you select Graph Query, and you will immediately see
the Graph Slice Data dialog, shown below. If more
than one query exists, you will first have to select one
(or more) queries, with the mouse.
Figure 2-7: Graph Slice Data dialog.
1. In the Graph Slice Data dialog, select the data you

would like to plot from the Primary data drop-down
list. For example, select Base Normal Stress.
2. Select the Horizontal axis data you would like to use

(Distance, Slice number, or X coordinate).
3. Select Create Plot, and SLIDE will create a plot as

shown in the following figure.
Figure 2-8: Base Normal Stress vs. Distance.
More Query Shortcuts

Here are more useful shortcuts for adding / graphing
Queries (these are left as optional exercises after
completing this tutorial):
• If you right-click on the Global Minimum BEFORE a

query is created, you can select Add Query, or Add
Query and Graph from the popup menu. Or if you
right-click AFTER a Query is created, you can select
Graph Query or other options.
• Another very quick shortcut – if NO Queries have

been created, and you select Graph Query from the
toolbar, SLIDE will automatically create a Query for
the Global Minimum, and display the Graph Slice
Data dialog.
• Similarly, if you select Show Slices or Query Slice

Data, a query will automatically be created for the
Global Minimum, if it did not already exist.
Customizing a Graph
After a slice data graph has been created, many options
are available to the user to customize the graph data and
appearance.
Chart Properties
Right-click the mouse on a graph, and select Chart

Properties. The Chart Properties dialog allows you to
change axis titles, minimum and maximum values, etc.
This is left as an optional exercise for the user to explore.
Change Plot Data
Right-click the mouse on a graph, and select Change Plot

Data. This will display the Graph Slice Data dialog
(Figure 2-7), allowing you to plot completely different
data, if you wish, while still remaining in the same view.
Grayscale
Right-click the mouse and select Grayscale. The view will

be grayscaled, suitable for black and white image capture.
Grayscale is also available in the toolbar, and in the View
menu, and can be toggled on or off at any time.
Changing the analysis method
After a graph is created, you can even change the analysis

method. Simply select a method from the toolbar, and
data corresponding to the method will be displayed.
NOTE:
• Depending on the data being viewed, results may or

may not vary with analysis method. For example,
Slice Weight will NOT vary with analysis method.
Base Normal Stress will vary with analysis method.
• Also, “No Data” may be displayed, if the minimum

surface for the analysis method chosen, is different
from the surface on which you originally added the
query.
Close this graph, so that we can demonstrate a few more

features of the SLIDE query menu.
Show Slices
The Show Slices option is used to display the actual slices
used in the analysis, on all existing queries in the current
view.
Select: Query → Show Slices
The slices are now displayed for the Global Minimum.
Use the Zoom Window option to get a closer view, so that

your screen looks similar to Figure 2-10.
Figure 2-10: Slices displayed on query.

The Show Slices option can also be used for other display
purposes, as configured in the Display Options dialog. For
example:
1. Right-click the mouse and select Display Options.

Select the Slope Stability tab.
2. Turn OFF Slice Boundaries, and turn ON Hatch

background. Observe the 45 degree hatch pattern
which now fills the failure mass.
3. Change the Fill colour, and select a different Hatch

pattern. Experiment with different combinations of
Slice Display Options, and observe the results.
Remember that the Show Slices option only displays the

Slice options that are turned ON in the Display Options
dialog.
NOTE: the current Display Options can be saved as the

program defaults, by selecting the Defaults button in the
Display Options dialog, and then selecting “Make current
settings the default” in the Defaults dialog.
Query Slice Data

The Query Slice Data option allows you to view detailed
analysis results FOR INDIVIDUAL SLICES IN A
SLIDING MASS.
Select: Query → Query Slice Data
1. You will see the Slice Data dialog, which prompts you
to “Click on a slice to view slice data”.
2. Click on any slice, and the data for the slice will be
displayed in the dialog, as illustrated below:
Figure 2-11: Slice Data dialog.
3. Force arrows will be displayed on the slice,

representing the various forces acting on the slice,
such as slice weight, interslice forces and base forces.
4. Select different slices, and observe the changing data.

You can click directly on the model, or you can use the
left / right arrow buttons at the top of the dialog, to
select slices.
5. Select Zoom in the Slice Data dialog. The currently

selected slice is zoomed to the middle of the view.
6. Select the “roll-up” 5 arrow in the upper right corner

of the Slice Data dialog (do not select the X), and the
dialog will “roll-up” (minimize without closing),
allowing you to view the full screen. (NOTE: you can
also double-click on the title bar of the dialog, to
minimize / maximize the dialog). For example, after

rolling-up and moving the Slice Data dialog out of the
way, your screen may appear as follows:
Figure 2-12: Slice forces displayed with Query Slice Data.
7. Maximize the Slice Data dialog, by selecting the “roll-

down” 6 arrow, or double-clicking on the title bar of
the dialog. Select the Hide / Show buttons, and view
the results.
8. The Copy button will copy the current slice data to

the Windows clipboard, where it can be pasted into
another Windows application (eg. for report writing).
9. The Filter List button allows you to customize the list

of data which appears in the dialog.
10. Close the Slice Data dialog by selecting the X in the

upper right-corner of the dialog, or Done.
Deleting Queries
Queries can be deleted with the Delete Query option in
the toolbar or the Query menu.
A convenient short-cut for deleting an individual query, is

to right-click on a query, and select Delete Query. For
example:
1. Right-click on the Global Minimum query. (You can

right-click anywhere on the slip surface, or on the
radial lines joining the slip center to the slip surface
endpoints).
2. Select Delete Query from the popup menu, and the

query will be deleted. (The Global Minimum is now
displayed in green once again, indicating that the
query no longer exists).
Graph SF along Slope

Finally, we will demonstrate one more data interpretation
feature of SLIDE.
Select: Data → Graph SF along Slope
In the following dialog, select Create Plot:

This will create a plot of the factor of safety along the

surface of the slope. The factor of safety values are
obtained from each slip surface / slope intersection point.
Figure 2-13: Factor of safety along slope surface.
This graph is useful in determing areas of the slope which

correspond to slip surfaces with low safety factors, and
may possibly be involved in failure. You may find it useful
to tile the views horizontally, to view the graph and the
slope together.
Select: Window → Tile Horizontally
Use the Zoom options as necessary, to achieve the desired

view of the slope, relative to the graph. (Tip: first select
Zoom All. Then use Zoom Mouse, and Pan, if necessary, to
zoom the slope to the same scale as the graph).
Additional Exercises
A safety factor graph, such as Figure 2-13, can be used to

help refine a critical surface search, with the Define Slope
Limits option, as suggested in the optional exercise below.
1. Return to the SLIDE MODEL program.
2. Use the Define Slope Limits dialog (see the Quick

Start tutorial), to define two sets of Slope Limits,
corresponding approximately to the low safety factor
areas of the graph in Figure 2-13.
3. Re-run the analysis, and see if a lower safety factor

Global Minimum surface has been located.
Other Search Methods

The Grid Search is not the only search method available
in SLIDE for circular slip surfaces. Other methods can be
used. Re-run the analysis using:
• Slope Search method
• Auto Refine Search method
and compare results. Experiment with different search

method parameters. See the SLIDE Help system for
information about the search methods.
Maximum Data Output Option

While demonstrating the Query options in this tutorial,
we have pointed out that a Query could only be created
for the Global Minimum surface. This is because we used
the Data Output = Standard option in the Project
Settings dialog.
If we use the Data Output = Maximum option, then a

Query can be created for the minimum safety factor
surface at any grid point, since detailed analysis data is
then saved for all of these surfaces, and not just for the
Global Minimum.
The following suggested exercise will demonstrate the

capabilities of SLIDE when Data Output = Maximum.
1. Return to the SLIDE Model program, and set Data

Output = Maximum in Project Settings.
2. Re-run the analysis.
3. In SLIDE Interpret, select Add Query from the

toolbar or the menu.
4. Now hover the mouse (without clicking) over the slip

center grid, or over the slip surfaces within the slope.
As you move the mouse, notice that the nearest
corresponding slip surface is highlighted. (Note: it is
helpful to turn on the Minimum Surfaces option first,
since these are all of the surfaces for which you can
create a Query).
5. When a desired slip surface has been located, click the

left mouse button, and a Query will be created for
that surface.
6. You may repeat steps 3-5, to add any number of

Queries for different slip surfaces.
7. When using the Graph Query option (selected from

the toolbar or the menu), you may graph multiple
Queries on the same plot, by simply selecting the
desired queries with the mouse.
NOTE: when Data Output = Maximum, the apparent

compute speed will be significantly slower than when
Data Output = Standard. Also, the size of the output files
will be much larger, due to the large amount of data being
stored. Depending on the number of slip surfaces you are
analyzing, these differences can be very significant. Data
Output = Maximum option should only be used when you
wish to view detailed data for surfaces other than the
Global Minimum.
That concludes this tutorial. To exit the program:

Non-Circular Surfaces Tutorial
This tutorial will use the same model as the previous

tutorial (the Materials & Loading Tutorial), to
demonstrate how an analysis can be performed using non-
circular (piece-wise linear) slip surfaces.
MODEL FEATURES:
• multiple material slope, with weak layer

• Block Search for non-circular slip surfaces

Model

Since we are using exactly the same model from the

previous tutorial, we will not repeat the modeling
procedure, but simply read in a file.
Select: File → Open
If you completed the previous tutorial, and saved the file,

you can use this file (ml_circ.sli). If you did not do the
previous tutorial, or did not save the file, then the
required file is also available in the EXAMPLES folder in
your SLIDE installation folder (file: tutorial2.sli).
Open whichever file is most convenient.

Surface Options
The first thing we need to do, is change the Surface Type
to Non-Circular, in the Surface Options dialog.
9 Enter:
9 Surface Type = Non-Circ.
Search Method = Block
Number of Surf = 5000
Left Angle Start = 135
Left Angle End = 135
Right Angle Start = 45
Right Angle End = 45
In the Surface Options dialog, change the Surface Type to

Non-Circular.
Notice that two different Search Methods can be used in

SLIDE for Non-Circular Surfaces – Block Search or Path
Search. This tutorial will demonstrate the Block Search
Method. For details about the Path Search Method, see
the SLIDE Help system.
We will be using all of the default Block Search Options

for now, so just select OK.
Notice that the slip center grid, which we used to perform

the Grid Search, is now hidden from view, since it is not
applicable for non-circular surface searches.
Select Zoom All to zoom the model to the center of the

view. Tip: you can right-click the mouse and select Zoom
All, or use the F2 function key, as short-cuts.
Block Search
The term “Block Search” is used in SLIDE, since a typical
non-circular sliding mass, with only a few sliding planes,
can be considered as consisting of active, passive and
central blocks of material, as shown below.
Figure 3-2: Active, central and passive blocks.
In order to carry out a Block Search with SLIDE, the user

must create one or more Block Search objects (window,
line, point or polyline). The Block Search objects are used
to randomly generate the locations of slip surface vertices.
For a model with a narrow weak layer, the best way to

perform a Block Search is to use the Block Search
Polyline option. This option works as follows:
1. TWO points are first generated on the polyline,

according to user-definable selections.
2. The slip surface is constrained to follow the polyline,

between the two points.
3. The projection angles are used to project the surface

up to the ground surface, from the two points.
4. Steps 1 to 3 are repeated for the required number of

slip surfaces.
Let’s add the polyline to the model.
Select the Add Block Search Polyline option from the

toolbar, or from the Block Search sub-menu in the
Surfaces menu. (Notice that the options in the toolbar and
Surfaces menu are now applicable to non-circular
surfaces, since we changed the Surface Type from
Circular to Non-Circular in the Surface Options dialog).
Select: Surfaces → Block Search → Add Polyline
You will then see the following dialog.
This dialog allows you to specify how the two points will
be generated on the polyline. The points can be randomly
generated at any location (the Any Line Segment option),
or randomly generated on the first or last line segments,
or fixed at the endpoints of the polyline.
In most cases, it is best to start with the Any Line

Segment option, to maximize the coverage of the search
along the polyline. This is already the default selection for
both points, so just select OK in the dialog.
Now enter the points defining the polyline. The points can
be entered graphically with the mouse, but we will enter
the following points in the prompt line:
Enter point [esc=quit]: 39 23

Enter point [u=undo, esc=quit]: 81 31
Enter point [u=undo, esc=quit]: press Enter or
right-click and select Done
The Block Search Polyline search object is now added to

the model, within the weak layer. Notice the arrows
displayed on either side of the line. The arrows represent
the left and right projection angles which will be used for
projecting the slip surface to the ground surface. The
projection angles can be customized by the user in the
Surface Options dialog, which we will be doing later in
this tutorial. For now, we are using the default angles.
Figure 3-3: Block Search Polyline defined in weak layer.

More About Block Search Objects

At this point you may be wondering – why did we use the
Block Search Polyline option, when we only defined a
single line segment? There is a very good reason:
• A Block Search Polyline always generates TWO

points along the line. The slip surface is then
constrained to follow the polyline, between the two
points.
• In the general case, when a Block Search Polyline

consists of multiple line segments, this makes it very
easy to define a Block Search, along an irregular
(non-linear) weak layer.
• A Block Search Polyline may consist of only a single

line segment. Two points are still generated on the
single line segment, which makes it very easy to
define a Block Search along a linear weak layer.
The Block Search Polyline option was specially developed,

for the purpose of easily searching along linear or non-
linear weak layers.
In contrast the other Block Search objects in SLIDE –

Window, Line or Point – only generate a SINGLE slip
surface vertex, for each object. For a Block Search LINE
object, the slip surface does not “follow” the line, you are
only guaranteed to have a single vertex ON the line.
In order to create the same search with Block Search Line

objects, you would have to define TWO Block Search
Lines, which are co-linear. To define a Block Search along
an irregular (non-linear) weak layer, is much more
difficult (although it can be done, using a combination of
Block Search Line objects, and Block Search Point objects,
at each “bend” in the weak layer.)
In general, any number of Block Search Objects can be

defined, and used in any combination. In fact, you may
even use a Block Search Polyline object, in combination
with Window, Line and Point objects, or even another
Polyline object (as long as no other search objects overlap
a Polyline object).
For more information about Block Search objects, please

see the SLIDE Help system.
Compute

ml_noncirc.sli. (SLIDE model files have a .SLI filename
extension).
Select: File → Save As
Use the Save As dialog to save the file with the new
filename. You are now ready to run the analysis.

(For this simple model, all slip surfaces generated by the

search, will consist of three line segments – a line
segment along the Block Search Polyline, and the left and
right projected segments.)
Interpret

Figure 3-4: Results of Block Search (5000 surfaces).
By default, the Global Minimum slip surface for a Bishop

analysis will be displayed.
You will also notice a cluster of points above the slope.

For a non-circular analysis, these points are
automatically generated by SLIDE, and are the axis
points used for moment equilibrium calculations. An axis
point is generated for EACH non-circular slip surface, by
using the coordinates of the slip surface to determine a
best-fit circle. The center of the best-fit circle is used as
the axis point for the non-circular surface.
The Global Minimum safety factor for a Bishop analysis is

0.763. Compare this with the results of the circular search
in the previous tutorial (0.798).
As might be expected for this model, the Block Search has

found a lower safety factor surface. A non-circular (piece-
wise linear) surface is much better suited to finding slip
surfaces along a weak layer, such as we have modeled
here, than a circular surface.
Select the Janbu Simplified analysis method in the

toolbar and observe the safety factor and slip surface. In
this case, the Bishop and Janbu methods have located
exactly the same Global Minimum surface.
Now select the All Surfaces option.
(NOTE: the Minimum Surfaces option, used in previous

tutorials, is not available for non-circular surfaces. The
Minimum Surfaces option only applies to slip center grids
used for a circular surface Grid Search).
All surfaces generated by the Block Search, are displayed

on the model. Note that the colours of the slip surfaces
and axis points correspond to the safety factor colours
displayed in the Legend.
Let’s use the Filter Surfaces option, to display only

surfaces with a factor of safety less than 1.

In the Filter Surfaces dialog, select the “Surfaces with a

factor of safety below” option, enter a value of 1, and select
Done.
As you can see, there are many unstable surfaces for this
model, other than the Global Minimum. This model would
definitely require support or design modifications, in
order to be made stable.
Figure 3-5: All surfaces with safety factor < 1.
Turn off the All Surfaces display, by re-selecting All

Surfaces.

Graph Query
Adding and graphing Queries for non-circular surfaces, is
the same as described in the previous tutorial for circular
surfaces. For example, a convenient shortcut is the
following:
• select Graph Query from the toolbar. SLIDE will

automatically create a Query for the Global
Minimum, and display the Graph Slice Data dialog.
Select Base Cohesion from the Primary Data drop-down

list. Select Create Plot.
The graph will be created. As you can see, the graph

shows the cohesive strengths (28.5 and 0) of the two
materials we defined. Along most of this slip surface, the
zero cohesion of the weak layer is in effect.
Figure 3-6: Base cohesion for Global Minimum surface.
Now right-click on the graph, and select Change Plot

Data from the popup menu. You will see the Graph Slice
Data dialog again.
Select Base Friction angle from the Primary Data drop-

down list. Select Create Plot.
The graph now displays the friction angle of the two

materials we defined (20 and 10 degrees). Along most of
this slip surface, the 10 degree friction angle of the weak
layer is in effect.
Now close the graph view by selecting the X in the upper

right corner of the view (make sure you select the view X
and not the application X, so you don’t close the
INTERPRET program!) We will now go back to the
SLIDE modeler, and enter a range of projection angles in
the Surface Options dialog, and re-run the analysis.
Select the MODELER option from the toolbar or the
Analysis menu.
Select: Analysis → Modeler
Model
Select Surface Options from the Surfaces menu (or as a

shortcut, you can right-click the mouse anywhere in the
view, and select Surface Options from the popup menu).
9 Enter:
Surface Type = Non-Circ.
Search Method = Block
Number of Surf = 5000
9 Left Angle Start = 125
9 Left Angle End = 155
9 Right Angle Start = 25
9 Right Angle End = 55
In the Surface Options dialog, set the Left Projection Angle

range to Start = 125 , End = 155 , and the Right Projection
Angle range to Start = 25 and End = 55. Select OK.
Notice that there are now two Left Projection Angle

arrows and two Right Projection Angle arrows on the
model, indicating the start / end angular limits you just
entered in the Surface Options dialog.
Tip – the Projection Angles are measured COUNTER-

CLOCKWISE from the positive X-axis. If you are unsure
about the appropriate values to enter, you can use the
Apply button to view the Projection Angles on the model,
without closing the dialog.
Compute
You will see a message dialog. Select Yes to save the

changes to the file, and SLIDE will run the analysis.
When completed, you are ready to view the results in
INTERPRET.
Interpret
This will load the latest analysis results into the SLIDE
INTERPRET program.
Figure 3-7: Results of Block Search, 5000 surfaces.
The Global Minimum slip surface, for a Bishop analysis,

now has a safety factor = 0.704.
By providing a range of projection angles, a slip surface

with a lower factor of safety than the previous analysis,
has been located.
Display all surfaces analyzed.
Note that the colours of the slip surfaces and axis points
correspond to the safety factor colours displayed in the
Legend.
Also notice the range of projection angles used to generate

the first and last segments of each slip surface, since we
specified ranges for the left and right projection angles in
the Surface Options dialog.
Now select the Janbu Simplified analysis method, from

the toolbar. Note:
• The safety factors, as indicated by the slip surface and

axis point colours, change with the analysis method.
• As we have noted previously, the Global Minimum

surface is not necessarily the same surface, for
different analysis methods. However, in this case,
Bishop and Janbu methods have again found the
same Global Minimum surface.
We will now demonstrate one more searching option in

SLIDE, the Optimize Surfaces option. Return to the
SLIDE MODEL program.

Optimize Surfaces
The Optimize Surfaces option is another very useful

searching tool in SLIDE. It allows the user to continue
searching for a lower factor of safety Global Minimum,
using the results of the Block Search as a starting point.
1. In the Surface Options dialog, select the Optimize

Surfaces checkbox.
2. Re-run the analysis.
3. You will find that the Optimize Surfaces option, has
located a significantly lower factor of safety Global
Minimum slip surface. The Bishop global minimum
factor of safety = 0.676.
For more information about the Optimize Surfaces option,

Figure 3-8: Results of search Optimization.

Random Surface Generation
It is important to remember that the Block Search is

dependent on the generation of random numbers, in order
to generate slip surfaces:
• by randomly generating the slip surface vertex

locations using the Block Search Objects, and
• by randomly generating the Projection Angles (if a

range of angles is specified).
However, if you re-compute the analyses in this tutorial,

you will always get exactly the same results. The reason
for this, is that we have been using the Pseudo-Random
option (in Project Settings > Random Numbers).
Pseudo-random analysis means that, although random

numbers are used to generate the slip surfaces, THE
SAME SURFACES WILL BE GENERATED EACH TIME
THE ANALYSIS IS RE-RUN, since the same “seed” is
used in each case, to generate the random numbers. This
allows the user to obtain reproducible results, for a non-
circular slip surface search, even though random surfaces
are being generated. By default, the Pseudo-Random

option is selected in Project Settings.
• However, you may also use the Random option in

Project Settings > Random Numbers. In this case a
different “seed” will be used each time the analysis is
re-run. Each analysis will therefore produce different
slip surfaces, and you may obtain different Global
Minimum safety factors, and surfaces, with each
analysis.
It is left as an optional exercise, to experiment with the

Random Number generation option. Re-run the analysis
several times, using the Random Number Generation
option in Project Settings, and observe the results.
TIP – in order to more clearly see the effects of true

random sampling, you can enter a lower Number of
Surfaces (eg. 200) in the Surface Options dialog.

Composite Surfaces Tutorial
This tutorial will use the same model as the Materials &
Loading Tutorial (with some modifications), to
demonstrate how to perform a circular surface search,
which allows composite circular / non-circular surfaces to
be analyzed as well.
MODEL FEATURES:
• multiple material slope, with weak layer above

impenetrable material (eg. bedrock, or soil with much
higher strength)
• circular Grid Search, with Composite Surfaces option
enabled
• demonstration of Auto Refine Search option

Model

Since this tutorial is based on the Materials and Loading

model, we will read in a file, rather than repeating the
modeling procedure.
If you completed the Materials and Loading tutorial, and

saved the file, you can use this file (ml_circ.sli). If you
did not do this tutorial, or did not save the file, then the
required file is also available in the EXAMPLES folder in
your SLIDE installation folder (filename: tutorial2.sli).
Open whichever file is most convenient.

Surface Options
First of all, let’s enable the Composite Surfaces option, in
the Surface Options dialog.
9 Enter:
Surface Type = Circular
Search Method = Grid
Radius Increment = 10
9 Composite Surfaces
In the Surface Options dialog, select the Composite

Surfaces checkbox, and select OK.
What is a Composite Surface?

Normally, when circular surfaces are analyzed in SLIDE,
if a circular surface extends past the lower limits of the
External Boundary, the surface is discarded, and is not
analyzed. A circular surface search may generate a large
number of such surfaces, depending on your External
Boundary geometry, and search parameters (grid
location, Slope Limits, etc).
If the Composite Surfaces option is enabled, then circular

surfaces which extend past the lower limits of the
External Boundary, will automatically conform to the
shape of the External Boundary, between the two circle
intersection points along the lower edge of the boundary.
This is illustrated in the following figure.
Figure 4-2: Example of a composite slip surface.
Composite surfaces allow the user to model a bedrock

surface, for example, by entering appropriate coordinates
for the lower edge of the External Boundary. They can
then perform a circular surface search which will conform
to the shape of the bedrock, by simply using the
Composite Surfaces option. These surfaces will be
analyzed and NOT discarded.
The material strength used for each slice along the linear
portions of the composite surface, will be the strength of
the material immediately above each slice base.
In order to use our previous model that we have just

opened, a simple modification will be required.
Editing Boundaries
To use the current model for this composite surface
example, we need to raise the lower edge of the External
Boundary, so that it is coincident with the location of the
lower of the two Material Boundaries.
We can do this as follows. For this example, we will

demonstrate the useful right-click editing capabilities of
SLIDE. Rather than using the menu or the toolbar, most
editing operations in SLIDE can be carried out using
right-click shortcuts, as described below.
Right Click Shortcuts

1. First of all, we need to delete the LOWER of the two
Material Boundaries. Right-click the mouse ON the
LOWER of the two Material Boundaries. A popup
menu will appear. Select Delete Boundary from the
popup menu, and the material boundary will be
deleted.
2. Next, we will delete the bottom two vertices of the

External Boundary. Right-click the mouse on the
lower LEFT vertex of the External Boundary, and
select Delete Vertex from the popup menu. The vertex
will be deleted.
3. Right-click the mouse on the lower RIGHT vertex of

the External Boundary, and select Delete Vertex from
the popup menu. The vertex will be deleted.
4. The lower edge of the External Boundary is now in

the same location as the Material Boundary we
deleted. Whenever vertices are deleted, boundaries
are redrawn using the remaining vertices. In this
case, the External Boundary has “snapped” up to the
location of the lower material boundary vertices.
5. Select Zoom All to zoom the model to the center of the

view. Tip: as a shortcut, you can right-click the mouse
and select Zoom All from the popup menu, or you can
use the F2 function key as a shortcut to Zoom All.
6. Finally, notice that in the process of editing the

boundaries, the “weak layer” material assignment has
been reset. This can be easily re-assigned, as follows.
7. Right-click the mouse IN the weak layer (ie. between

the material boundary and the lower edge of the
external Boundary). Do NOT click ON a boundary,
click BETWEEN the two boundaries.
8. From the popup menu, select the Assign Material

sub-menu, and then select the “weak layer” material
from the Assign sub-menu. The “weak layer” material
assignment is now in effect once again.
The model should look as follows:
Figure 4-3: Modified external boundary.

We are finished with the modeling, and are ready to run

the analysis.
Compute

ml_comp.sli. (SLIDE model files have a .SLI filename
extension).
filename. You are now ready to run the analysis.

Interpret

Figure 4-4: Results of composite surface search.
By default, the Global Minimum surface for the Bishop

analysis will be displayed.
As you can see, the Global Minimum is a composite

circular / linear slip surface, with a significantly lower
factor of safety than the results obtained from the circular
surface search in Tutorial 2. The following table
summarizes the Global Minimum safety factors (Bishop
analysis) obtained from this tutorial, and the previous
two tutorials.
SURFACE TYPE GLOBAL MINIMUM SAFETY

FACTOR
CIRCULAR .798
NON-CIRCULAR .704
NON-CIRCULAR
.676
(optimized)
COMPOSITE .709
Table 4-1: Global minimum safety factors (Bishop analysis), for

different slip surface types and search options.
Let’s view the slices for the composite surface. Select

Show Slices from the toolbar or the Query menu. Your
model should appear as follows.
Figure 4-5: Slices displayed for Global Minimum surface (Bishop).
Select Show Slices again, to turn off the display of slices.

Now view the minimum surfaces at the grid points.
Use the Filter Surfaces option to view only slip surfaces

with a safety factor less than 1.
In the Filter Surfaces dialog, select the “Surfaces with a

factor of safety below” option, enter a value of 1, and select
Done.
As you can see, there are many unstable surfaces for this
model, other than the Global Minimum. This model would
definitely require support or design modifications, in
order to be made stable. Turn off the Minimum Surfaces
display by re-selecting the Minimum Surfaces option.
Select the Janbu analysis method from the drop-down list

in the toolbar. Notice that the Global Minimum surface
for both the Bishop and Janbu methods, is near the edge
of the search grid. (The Bishop Global Minimum is still
visible, because a Query was automatically created for
that surface when we selected the Show Slices option).
At this point, we will make the following important

observation:
• Whenever the slip center of the Global Minimum

surface, is at or near the edge of the slip center grid,
this means that you may not have located the true
Global Minimum surface.
Let’s go back to the modeler, and re-size or re-locate the

slip center grid, to attempt to find Global Minimum
surfaces which have centers completely within the grid,
and not on the edge of the grid.

Model
There are several different ways we could modify the slip

center grid, for this model. For example, we could:
1. Resize the grid, by stretching one or more corners of

the grid, with the Surfaces → Edit → Stretch option,
or with a right-click shortcut (if you right click on a
CORNER of the grid).
2. Move the entire grid to a new location (over to the

right) with the Surfaces → Edit → Move option (also
available as a right click shortcut, if you click on an
EDGE of the grid).
3. Add a second grid, to the right of the existing grid,

with the Surfaces → Add Grid option (Multiple grids
can be defined for a model, and grids are allowed to
overlap). Or delete the existing grid and add a new,
larger grid extending further over to the right.
Let’s use option 1, above. We will use the right-click

shortcut, rather than go through the menu.
1. Right-click on the lower RIGHT corner of the grid.
2. A popup menu will appear. Select the Move To option.

As you move the mouse, the selected corner of the grid
will follow the mouse.
3. When the grid corner is slightly over to the right of its

original location (near the crest of the slope, see
Figure 4-6), left-click again and the grid will be
redrawn. It should look similar to Figure 4-6.
Let’s also increase the Radius Increment, to generate

more surfaces at each grid point. Select Surface Options
from the Surfaces menu, enter a new Radius Increment =
20, and select OK.
Figure 4-6: Modified grid for composite surfaces example.
Now let’s see how the new grid affects the analysis.
Compute
First, save the modified model as a new file, called

ml_comp_new.sli.
filename. Now select Compute.

Interpret

Figure 4-7: New analysis, with larger grid.
As you can see, the Global Minimum slip center (Bishop

analysis), is no longer near the edge of the grid. The grid
contours also indicate that we have located the true
minimum surface (for the grid interval spacing, and
radius increment we have used), since the red region of
lowest safety factor is contained almost completely within
the grid.
The Global Minimum safety factor (Bishop) is now 0.700.

Modifying the grid location and radius increment, has
located a slightly lower safety factor surface.
NOTE: depending on where you stretched the grid,

results will vary, and safety factors slightly lower, or
slightly higher, may be calculated. This is because the
exact location of the grid centers will be different, if the
grid corners are not in exactly the same location.
In any case, whenever the slip center of a Global

Minimum is at or near the edge of a grid, you should
always modify the grid, and re-run the analysis, to see if
lower safety factor surfaces can be located.
Examine the Janbu results, and observe the Global

Minimum surface and safety factor.
To conclude this tutorial, we will demonstrate another

search method which is available in SLIDE, for circular
slip surfaces, called the Auto Refine Search method.
Auto Refine Search Method
Although we have used the circular Grid Search for most

of the tutorials in this User’s Guide, it is important to
note that other search methods are available in SLIDE,
for circular slip surfaces:
• the Slope Search method, which allows the user to

define a search, by specifying areas of the slope, using
the Slope Limits.
• the Auto Refine Search method. In this method, the

search area on the slope is automatically refined as
the search progresses.
The Auto Refine Search method will, in many cases,

locate a lower safety factor Global Minimum, than a Grid
Search. Furthermore, this is often achieved with a fewer
total number of slip surfaces generated and computed.
To specify an Auto Refine Search:
In the Surface Options dialog, select the Auto Refine

Search method. We will use the default search parameters,
however, make sure you select the Composite Surfaces
checkbox for this tutorial. Select OK.
The Auto Refine Search method, works by progressively

refining the search along the slope surface. This is done
automatically, according to the parameters entered in the
Surface Options dialog.
NO SEARCH OBJECTS (ie. grids or focus objects) are

required by the Auto Refine Search. (Notice that the Grid
used for the Grid Search is no longer visible, since it is
not used by the Auto Refine Search). For details about
how the Auto Refine Search works, please see the SLIDE
Help system.
Now let’s run the analysis.
You will first see a message dialog. Select Yes in the

dialog. The file will be saved, and SLIDE will run the
analysis. When completed, you are ready to view the
The safety factor of the Global Minimum slip surface

found by the Auto Refine Search method (Bishop
Analysis), is 0.696. This is a lower safety factor, than any
of the search methods used in the previous tutorials
(compare with the results in Table 4-1), with the
exception of the Optimized Block Search analysis.
Figure 4-8: Global Minimum surface, Auto Refine Search method.
Now view all of the surfaces generated by the search.

As you can see, the pattern of surfaces generated by the

Auto Refine Search, is quite different from the surfaces
generated by the Grid Search.
Notice the pattern of slip centers which is generated by

the Auto Refine Search. These are automatically
calculated for each circle. This is very different from the
uniform grid of slip centers, which is used to generate the
Grid Search.
To view all of the slip centers, select Zoom All (you can
press the F2 key as a shortcut). Some of the slip centers
are generated at a considerable height above the slope.
These correspond to relatively “flat” circles with large
radii.
Select Zoom Slope to bring the slope back into view.
Figure 4-9: Surfaces generated by Auto Refine Search.

In conclusion, it is recommended that the user become

familiar with all of the searching methods provided in
SLIDE. A slope stability analysis is only as good as your
searching techniques, and one should never assume that
they have located the overall Global Minimum slip
surface, after only a single analysis.
The user should always spend some time experimenting

with different search methods and search parameters,
until they are confident that they have located the true
Global Minimum slip surfaces.

Water Pressure Grid Tutorial
This tutorial will demonstrate how to use a water

pressure grid to model pore water pressure in SLIDE.
Two different ways of modeling ponded water will also be
discussed.
MODEL FEATURES:
• pore water pressure grid (total head)

• ponded water above slope, defined by water table
• circular surface search (Grid Search)
NOTE:
• the finished product of this tutorial can be found in
the tutorial5.sli data file, which you should find in
the EXAMPLES folder in your SLIDE installation
folder.
• This model is also presented in the Groundwater
Tutorial in this User’s Guide (file tutorial7.sli). A
seepage analysis is carried out, and results are
compared with the Water Pressure Grid tutorial.
Model

Limits


Project Settings
In order to use a water pressure grid for pore pressure
calculations, we must first set the Groundwater Method
to one of the three available pore pressure grid options
(Total Head, Pressure Head or Pore Pressure) in the
Project Settings dialog. In this case we will be using a
grid of discrete Total Head values.
Enter a project title – Water Pressure Grid Tutorial. Select

the Groundwater tab, and set the Groundwater Method =
Grid (Total Head). Select OK.
Note that SLIDE can use one of several different methods

for interpolating pressures at any point in the soil, from
the grid values. We are using the default method
(Chugh’s Method). See the SLIDE Help system for a
description of the interpolation methods available in
SLIDE.
Add External Boundary

model, is the EXTERNAL BOUNDARY. To add the
external boundary, select Add External Boundary from
the toolbar or the Boundaries menu.



Boundary option.
Adding a Water Pressure Grid

Now let’s add the water pressure grid to the model. To
add a water pressure grid, select the Water Pressure Grid
option from the Boundaries menu.
Select: Boundaries → Water Pressure Grid
The points defining a water pressure grid can be entered

in this dialog, by entering X and Y coordinates, and a
value (in this case, Total Head), defining the pressure at
each grid point.
Figure 5-1: Water Pressure Grid dialog.
Rather than entering the data manually, to save time,

there is a water pressure grid file, in the EXAMPLES
folder, which you can simply read in, using the Import
button in the Water Pressure Grid dialog.
Select the Import button in the Water Pressure Grid

dialog.
You will see an Open file dialog. Water pressure grids can
be imported from various file formats in SLIDE,
including:
• files with a .PWP filename extension. (These are

simple ASCII text files, where each line of the file
contains X, Y and VALUE for one grid point), or
• .DXF format files (useful if a flownet has been

digitized using AutoCAD, for example)
We will read in a .PWP file.

1. Open the file called tutorial5.pwp. The grid data

appears in the Water Pressure Grid dialog.
2. Now select OK in the Water Pressure Grid dialog, and

the grid will be added to the model. Each blue
triangular symbol represents one grid point.
Your model should appear as follows:
Figure 5-2: Water Pressure Grid added to model.
Water pressure grid data such as this could come from a

flow net, field measurements, or a numerical analysis,
such as the groundwater seepage analysis which is
available within the SLIDE program.
In this case, the values at each grid point are TOTAL

HEAD values, which were originally obtained by
digitizing the flownet in Figure 5-3, using a digitizing
tablet and AutoCAD. (The grid was originally saved as a
.DXF file, and then converted to a .PWP file).
Remember that SLIDE also has the capability of using

pressure head or pore pressure grids, as selected in the
Project Settings dialog.
Figure 5-3: Flownet used to obtain total head measurements.
The actual values at each grid point can be displayed on

the model with the Display Options dialog. Let’s take a
quick look. Right-click the mouse and select Display
Options from the popup menu.
In the Display Options dialog, select the Water Pressure

Grid Values option, and select Close.
The values will initially overlap. Use one of the Zoom

options (eg. Zoom Window, Zoom Mouse or simply rotate
the mouse wheel), to zoom in to approximately the center
of the grid, so that the values are readable, as shown in
Figure 5-4. The total head values were obtained at the
intersections of each flowline and equipotential line of the
flownet in Figure 5-3.
Now select Zoom All to bring the whole model back into
view. Tip: you can use the F2 function key as a shortcut to
Zoom All.
Figure 5-4: Water pressure grid values displayed on model.
Now hide the grid values again. Right-click the mouse

and select Display Options. Clear the Water Pressure Grid
Values checkbox, and select Close.
Defining Ponded Water

You will notice that some of the water pressure grid
points, at the left of the model, are above the ground
surface. That is because this model will include ponded
water at the foot of the slope, which we have not yet
defined.
Ponded water in SLIDE can be defined in either of two

ways:
• If a Water Table is drawn above the External

Boundary, SLIDE will automatically create a region
of ponded water below the Water Table and above the
External Boundary. (This is the recommended and
simplest method in most cases, and the one we will be
using in this tutorial).
• Ponded water can also be defined as a “No Strength”

material. That is, the region of ponded water is
included WITHIN the external boundary, and defined
using material boundaries, in the same manner as a
soil region. This is discussed at the end of this
tutorial.
NOTE: a Water Pressure Grid CANNOT define ponded

water. A Water Pressure Grid is only used to obtain
values of pore pressure within the soil. The Grid DOES
NOT simulate the weight and hydrostatic forces which
act on the slope due to the ponded water.
Add Water Table

As demonstrated in previous tutorials, a Water Table can
be used in SLIDE to define pore pressure conditions for a
slope model. In this tutorial, the Water Table will
NOT be used for pore pressure calculations, since
the water pressure grid will be used for this
purpose.
Regardless of the method of pore pressure definition (with
the exception of the Finite Element Analysis method), a
Water Table can always be used to define ponded water
above a slope. Let’s add the Water Table to see how this
works.
Select: Boundaries → Add Water Table
Enter the following coordinates in the prompt line.

Enter vertex [enter=done,esc=quit]: 33.9 26.9
Enter vertex [enter=done,esc=quit]:35.8 27.5
Enter vertex [enter=done,esc=quit]:37.3 27.9
Enter vertex [enter=done,esc=quit]: 45 29.1
Enter vertex [enter=done,esc=quit]: press Enter
Note that pressing Enter with nothing in the prompt line,

after the last vertex has been entered, adds the Water
Table to the model, and exits the Add Water Table option.
Your model should now appear as follows:
Figure 5-5: Water table added to define ponded water.
As you can see at the left of the model, the region above
the ground surface and below the water table, is filled
with a blue hatched pattern. This region is automatically
determined by SLIDE when the water table is drawn
above the slope, and indicates the existence of ponded
water.
As we have already emphasized, pore pressures for this

model will be calculated using the water pressure grid
and NOT the Water Table, since we have configured the
method of pore pressure calculation in the Project
Settings dialog. However, we will point out one extra
feature of using a Water Table in conjunction with a pore
pressure grid:
• All points ABOVE the Water Table, will

automatically be assigned a ZERO pore pressure,
even if the water pressure grid interpolation
procedure, determines a non-zero pore pressure for a
point above the water table. This may be useful in
some situations, for example, if a water pressure grid
is defined by an insufficient number of points.
Slip Surfaces
For this tutorial, we will be performing a Grid Search, to
attempt to locate the critical circular slip surface (ie. the
slip surface with the lowest safety factor).
A Grid Search requires a grid of slip centers to be defined.

We will use the Auto Grid option, which automatically
locates a grid for the user.
You will see the Grid Spacing dialog.
Enter a 20 x 20 spacing. Select OK.
The Grid will be added to the model, and your screen

should appear as follows:
Figure 5-6: Slip center grid added to model.
NOTE: the Grid Search is discussed in detail in the Quick

Start Tutorial. Please refer to that tutorial, or the SLIDE
Help system, for more information.
Properties
To complete our modeling, we still have to define our
material properties, and we will then be ready to run the
analysis.

9 Enter:
9 Name = soil 1
Unit Weight = 20
9 Cohesion =11
9 Phi = 28
Grid (Total Head) = On
Figure 5-7: Define Material Properties dialog.
Enter Name = Soil 1, Cohesion = 11 and Phi = 28. Select

OK.
In the Define Material Properties dialog, you will notice

the Grid (Total Head) On / Off toggle, under Water
Parameters. This allows the user to toggle the effect of a
Water Pressure Grid ON or OFF for any given soil. If the
water pressure grid is turned OFF, then pore pressure
will be ZERO for that soil. In this example, we are of
course leaving the grid ON, since we want to see the
results of using the water pressure grid.
ALSO NOTE: Since we are dealing with a single material

model, and since you entered properties with the first
(default) tab selected, you do not have to Assign these
properties to the model. SLIDE automatically assigns the
default properties (ie. the properties of the first material
in the Define Material Properties dialog) for you. (For
multiple material models, it is necessary for the user to
assign properties with the Assign Properties option. This
is discussed in Tutorial 2.)
We are now finished with the modeling, and can proceed

Compute

WPG.sli. (SLIDE model files have a .SLI filename
extension).

INTERPRET.
Interpret

Figure 5-8: Results of circular surface Grid Search.
By default, the Global Minimum surface for a Bishop

analysis, is initially displayed. The minimum safety factor
= 1.499.
Notice the slip center grid, in this case, has a blank

(white) area which is not contoured, at the left of the grid.
This occurs when no valid slip circles are generated at one
or more slip center grid points. For this grid, most circles
generated at these points have intersected the horizontal
segment of the external boundary at the left of the model.
This generally leads to zero driving force and an invalid
slip surface (safety factor cannot be calculated).
When a slip center grid displays blank areas such as this,

you may want to go back to the modeler, and create a
smaller grid with the Add Grid option. (Remember we
used the Auto Grid option for this model.) This is left as
an optional exercise after completing this tutorial.
The appearance of the contours in the slip center grid, can

be customized by the user with the Contour Options
dialog. Let’s try this now. Contour Options is available in
the View menu, however, a convenient shortcut is to
right-click the mouse and select Contour Options from the
popup menu.
Figure 5-9: Contour Options dialog.
In the Contour Options dialog, enter a Contour Range Min

= 1.4 and Max = 2.5. Select Apply. Now use the “roll-up”
arrow 5 to minimize the dialog without closing it. You
can also minimize / maximize the dialog, by double-
clicking on the title bar of the dialog.
The new contour range makes the low safety factor area
of the slip center grid more apparent, as shown in Figure
5-10. Many different contour options are available to the
user, and customized contour formats can be saved for
future use with the Define Auto-Format option. The user
is encouraged to experiment with these options after
completing this tutorial.
Figure 5-10: Custom contour range in slip center grid.
Select Done or X, to close the Contour Options dialog.
Now display the minimum circles at the slip center grid

points.
The minimum surfaces are displayed. Note that the circle

colours correspond to the safety factor contour colours in
the slip center grid, and the legend at the upper left of the
view.
You may notice that slip surfaces which intersect the

ponded water, are projected to the surface of the ponded
water, with a vertical line segment. The display of these
segments can be removed, if desired, in the Display
Options dialog. Let’s do that, and also display the slip
center grid points. Right-click the mouse and select
Display Options from the popup menu.
In the Display Options dialog, select the Slope Stability

tab, turn Grid Points ON and turn Vertical Segments
OFF. Select Done.
Notice that the slip center grid points are displayed, and
the vertical slip surface segments are hidden.
Now let’s view the results for another analysis method.

Select Janbu Simplified from the drop-down list in the
toolbar, and view the results.
For this model, the Janbu Global Minimum slip surface is

different from the Bishop surface. Global Minimum
surface information, for each analysis method, is always
available in the Info Viewer.
Scroll down the Info Viewer, to view the Global Minimum

surface information. Note that each surface has different
center coordinates, and radius. Close the Info Viewer
view, by selecting the X in the upper right corner of the
view (make sure you select the view X and not the
application X, so you don’t close the INTERPRET
program!)
NOTE: for the Janbu Simplified analysis method, you will

have noticed a blank (white) area in the low safety factor
area of the slip center grid contours. This is because we
customized the contour range for the Bishop results, but
results for the Janbu Simplfied method were outside of
our custom range. Let’s restore the default contour range.
Right-click the mouse and select Contour Options. Select

the “0 to 6” button in the Contour Options dialog, to
restore the default 0 to 6 safety factor contour range. Select
Done.
Now select different analysis methods again from the
toolbar, and observe the default contours for each method.
Add Query
Let’s now add a query on the Global Minimum for the
Bishop analysis, and plot pore pressure along the slip
surface.
First, select the Bishop analysis method from the toolbar,

if it is not already selected.
Queries can be added with the Add Query option in the

Query menu. However, a shortcut for adding a query
corresponding to a Global Minimum slip surface, is to
right-click anywhere on the slip surface, or on the radial
lines joining the slip center to the slip surface endpoints,
and select Add Query from the popup menu.
Do this now, for the Bishop analysis Global Minimum.
Note that the colour of the Global Minimum surface has

changed to black, indicating that a query has been added.
(Queries are displayed using black. The Global Minimum,
before the query was added, was displayed in green).
Graph Pore Pressure

After a query has been added, data can be graphed using
the Graph Query option.
Select: Query → Graph Query
Since only one Query exists (on the Global Minimum), it

is automatically selected, and the Graph Slice Data dialog
will appear.
Tip – If you select Graph Query BEFORE you have added

any queries, SLIDE will automatically create a Query for
the Global Minimum, and display the Graph Slice Data
dialog. This saves the user the step of using the Add Query
option.
Figure 5-11: Graph Slice Data dialog.
Let’s graph pore pressure along the slip surface.
Select Pore Pressure from the Primary Data drop-down

list. Select Create Plot.
You should see the plot shown below.
Figure 5-12: Pore pressure graphed along slip surface.

This graph shows the pore pressure calculated at the

midpoint of the base of each slice, by interpolation from
the water pressure grid values.
NOTE: you can customize the graph appearance, by right-

clicking on the graph and selecting Chart Properties, or
you can view different data for the same slip surface, by
right-clicking and selecting Change Plot data. This is left
as an optional exercise.
That concludes this tutorial.
Before you exit the program, two additional exercises are

suggested below, in order to demonstrate other ways that
ponded water can be modeled.
Acknowledgements
This example is based on a model from the 1989 ACADS

soil slope stability programs review. (Giam, P.S.K. & I.B.
Donald 1989, Example problems for testing soil slope
stability programs, Civil Engineering Research Report
No. 8 / 1989, Monash University, Australia).
This example is also presented in the SLIDE verification

manual (verification example #10).
Additional Exercises
We will now demonstrate other ways in which the ponded

water, used in this Water Pressure Grid tutorial, could
have been modeled.
To save time, you can simply read in the files described

below, and view the results.
Ponded Water (variation 1)

In the SLIDE modeler, read in the file tutorial5b.sli.
Figure 5-13: Single segment water table defining ponded water.
This file demonstrates that a single line segment is

sufficient, to model ponded water with a water table.
Simply define a single segment water table at the left and
right extents of the ponded water, as shown in Figure 5-
13.
If you run the analysis on this model, you should find that
the results are nearly identical, compared to the results
using the water table drawn across the entire extent of
the model.
However, remember that if the user wants to ensure that

pore pressures above a water table are exactly zero, a
complete water table can be defined in conjunction with a
water pressure grid, as discussed earlier in this tutorial.
Ponded Water as a No Strength Material

Ponded water in SLIDE can also be defined as a “No
Strength” material.
In the SLIDE modeler, read in the file tutorial5c.sli.
Figure 5-14: No Strength material defining ponded water.

To define ponded water as a No Strength material:
1. The surface of the ponded water must be included

WITHIN the external boundary.
2. A material boundary is then used to define the soil /

water interface, within the external boundary.
3. A “No Strength” material must be defined in the

Define Material Properties dialog. (Select Define
Materials, and select the second material tab, to see
the No Strength material defined for this file).
4. The No Strength material must be assigned to the

ponded water region, using the Assign Properties
option.
In general, this procedure involves more work than

simply using a water table to define the ponded water.
However, you may prefer to use this in some cases.
One possible advantage of using a No Strength material,

is that the material unit weight can be user defined, if a
fluid other than water is being considered. This unit
weight is independent of the Pore Fluid unit weight
defined in Project Settings, which is used for the pore
pressure calculations. Also, the colour of a No Strength
material can be customized.
If you run the analysis on this model, you should find that
the results are identical, compared to the results using
the single segment water table to model the ponded
water.
Support Tutorial
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 and rock anchors.
The slope will first be analyzed without support, and then

support will be added and the analysis re-run.
MODEL FEATURES:

• grouted tieback support
• circular surface search (Grid Search)

Model

Limits


Project Settings
dialog.
Various important analysis and modeling options are set

in the Project Settings dialog, including Failure Direction,
Units of Measurement, Analysis Methods and
Groundwater Method.

Settings, however, you may enter a Project Title –
Support Tutorial. Select OK.
Add External Boundary

model, is the EXTERNAL BOUNDARY. To add the
external boundary, select Add External Boundary from
the Boundaries menu or the Boundaries toolbar.



Boundary option.
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: 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:
Figure 6-1: Slip center grid added to model.
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.
Properties
Now let’s define the material properties.

9 Enter:
9 Name = soil 1
Unit Weight = 20
9 Cohesion = 3
9 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)
tab selected, you do not have to Assign these properties to
the model. SLIDE automatically assigns the default
properties (ie. 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 add a support pattern to the model, and re-run
the analysis.
Compute

support1.sli. (SLIDE model files have a .SLI filename
extension).

INTERPRET.
Interpret

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 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 File
menu.

Model
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.
Add Support Pattern

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.
9 Enter:
9 Orient. = Ang. from Horiz.
9 Angle = – 10
9 Support length = 15
9 Spacing = 3
Measured Along boundary
Figure 6-3: 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.
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:
Figure 6-4: 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.
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

• geo-textile
• grouted tieback
• soil nail
• micro pile
For this example, we will use Grouted Tieback support.
9 Enter:
9 Support = Grouted Tieback
Force = Active
9 Bonded Length = 50 %
Out of Plane Spacing = 1
Tensile Capacity = 100
Plate Capacity = 100
9 Bond Strength = 15
Figure 6-5: Define Support Properties dialog.
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) tab
selected, you do not have to Assign these properties to the
support. SLIDE automatically assigns the default
properties (ie. the properties of the first tab in the Define
Support Properties dialog) for you.
Compute
Before you analyze the new model, save it with a different

filename, so that we can compare results to the previous
analysis without support.
Use the Save As dialog to save the file with the name
support2.sli, and then run the analysis.
When the analysis is completed, you are ready to view the

Interpret

Figure 6-6: Results of analysis after adding tieback support.
The Global Minimum slip surface for a BISHOP analysis

is displayed. The minimum safety factor is now 1.465,
compared to 0.988 before adding the support.
Let’s compare results with the un-supported slope. Since

we saved the supported model with a different filename
(support2.sli), the model with no support (support1.sli)
should still be open in INTERPRET (if you closed this file,
then open it again in INTERPRET).
1. Tile the views of the two files, so we can compare the

results side by side.
Select: Window → Tile Vertically
2. Click the mouse in each view and select Zoom All

(remember you can use the F2 function key as a
shortcut to Zoom All.)
3. Right-click on the Legend in each view, and toggle off

the display of the Legend. (Note: to display the
Legend again, you will have to go to the View menu).
Your screen should look as follows, and we can compare

results (select Bishop analysis in both views).
Figure 6-7: 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 file. In each view, select the
Minimum Surfaces option from the toolbar or the Data
menu.
Figure 6-8: Minimum Surfaces displayed for both models.
The above figure demonstrates how the support has

shifted the minimum slip surfaces over to the right, to a
“safe” region of higher safety factor.
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 in Figure 6-8, 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:
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 OK.
You are now viewing the 50 lowest safety factor circles, of

ALL circles analyzed, for each model, as shown below.
Figure 6-9: Fifty lowest safety factor circles displayed.

The Filter Surfaces dialog also allows the user to view

slip surfaces for which no safety factor could be
calculated. Try the following:
1. For the model WITH support, maximize the view and

select Zoom All.
2. Select Filter Surfaces. Select the Display Surfaces

With Error Code option, and select Error Code –107.
Select OK.
Figure 6-10: 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, were 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.
At the bottom of the Info Viewer listing, notice the

number of Valid and Invalid Surfaces, for each analysis
method.
Figure 6-11: Info Viewer analysis summary.
For this model, over 2400 slip surfaces (ie. about 50% of
all slip surfaces analyzed) resulted in Invalid slip
surfaces. Most of these are due to Error Code –107
(negative driving moment). 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, by selecting the X in the

upper right corner of the view.
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
Figure 6-12: Display of support force diagrams.
To make your screen look similar to Figure 6-12:
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 in Figure 6-12. Select Done.
4. Re-display the Legend. Select View -> Legend Options

-> Show Legend. Select OK.
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).
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 (ie. 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.
Overview of Support Implementation in SLIDE
The following is a general overview of the support

implementation in SLIDE. For complete details, please
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.
Figure 6-13a: Support does NOT intersect slip surface – NO effect

on safety factor.
Figure 6-13b: 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 (ie. to the base of a single slice). The applied force
is simply a line load, with units of FORCE per unit width
of slope.
Figure 6-14: Support force is applied at the point of intersection with

slip surface.
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 Figure 6-14.
• 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.
Figure 6-15: 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
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
rockbolts, 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 this option, see the SLIDE Help

system.
Groundwater Analysis Overview
Introduction
Within the SLIDE program, SLIDE has the capability to

carry out a finite element based groundwater (seepage)
analysis, for saturated / unsaturated, steady state flow
conditions.
The Groundwater Analysis in SLIDE allows the user to

define and analyze a groundwater problem, using the
same model as for the slope stability problem. The
boundaries of the problem only need to be defined once,
and will be used for both the groundwater analysis and
After a groundwater analysis is performed, the results

(pore pressures), can be automatically utilized by the
slope stability analysis engine in SLIDE.
However, it is important to note:
• The groundwater analysis capability in SLIDE can be

considered a completely self contained groundwater
analysis program, and can be used entirely
independently of the slope stability functionality of
SLIDE.
• You may perform a groundwater analysis in SLIDE,

without necessarily performing a slope stability
analysis.
• Although the SLIDE groundwater analysis is geared

towards the calculation of pore pressures for slope
stability problems, it is not restricted to slope
geometry configurations. The Groundwater modeling
and analysis capabilities in SLIDE, can be used to
analyze an arbitrary, 2-dimensional groundwater
problem, for saturated / unsaturated, steady state
flow conditions.
Groundwater Modeling
The groundwater modeling options in SLIDE, are all

contained within the SLIDE MODEL program.
In order to enable groundwater modeling, it is first

necessary to set the Groundwater Method in Project
Settings to Finite Element Analysis. When you do this:
• an Analysis Mode option will be available in the

toolbar, which allows you to select either Slope
Stability analysis mode, or Groundwater analysis
mode.
• When you are in Groundwater analysis mode, the

menu and toolbar will present all of the necessary
groundwater modeling options.
The following general procedure is required, in order to

use the SLIDE program for a groundwater analysis.
Project Settings
In order to perform a groundwater analysis, the first
thing that must be done, is to set the Groundwater
Method in Project Settings to Finite Element Analysis.
1. Select Project Settings from the toolbar or the

Analysis menu.
2. Select the Groundwater tab, and set the Groundwater
Method = Finite Element Analysis.
3. You may configure the Groundwater Analysis
parameters in Project Settings as necessary (ie.
Tolerance or Maximum Number of Iterations)
4. Select OK.
The SLIDE toolbar will now display an Analysis Mode

option, as described below.
Figure 7-1: Enabling groundwater analysis with SLIDE.

Groundwater Analysis Mode

When you set the Groundwater Method = Finite Element
Analysis in Project Settings, you will notice that a drop-
down selection box will appear in the SLIDE toolbar. This
option allows you to switch between two different analysis
modes of the SLIDE MODEL program – Slope Stability or
Groundwater.
• The Slope Stability analysis mode allows you to define

the elements of your model which are relevant to the
slope stability analysis.
• The Groundwater analysis mode allows you to define

the elements of your model which are relevant to the
groundwater analysis.
When you switch between Slope Stability analysis mode

and Groundwater analysis mode, you will notice that the
menus and toolbars are automatically changed.
Boundaries
The SAME boundaries are used in both the groundwater
and slope stability analysis. However, the model
boundaries can only be defined when the Analysis Mode =
Slope Stability.
• You MUST create the model boundaries, when

Analysis Mode = Slope Stability.
• You CANNOT create or edit the model boundaries,

when Analysis Mode = Groundwater.
For details about defining boundaries in SLIDE, see the

previous tutorials in this User’s Guide, or the SLIDE
Help system.
Meshing
The groundwater analysis in SLIDE is a finite element
analysis, and therefore a finite element mesh is required
in order to solve the problem.
To create the finite element mesh:
• the user can do this with a single mouse click, by

selecting the Discretize and Mesh option. This will
automatically create a graded finite element mesh
within your model boundaries.
• If the mesh requires customization, several options

are available in the Mesh menu, which allow the user
to customize the mesh as necessary.
Figure 7-2: Finite element mesh for groundwater analysis.
Boundary Conditions
Once the finite element mesh is satisfactory, the user
must then set up the boundary conditions which define
the groundwater problem they wish to solve. This is done
with the Set Boundary Conditions option, which allows
the user to define all of the necessary pressure and flow
boundary conditions along the model boundaries, or at
any other node(s) of the mesh.
Figure 7-3: Dialog for assigning boundary conditions.
Hydraulic Properties
The permeability (hydraulic conductivity) characteristics
of each material, are defined with the Define Hydraulic
Properties option. You may define a saturated
permeability for each material. In addition, various
models are available for defining the unsaturated
permeability, or the user may create a user-defined
permeability function.
Figure 7-4: Dialog for defining hydraulic properties.

Groundwater Compute
When all of your groundwater boundary conditions and

material properties have been defined, then you are ready
to run the groundwater analysis.
The groundwater analysis engine in SLIDE is a separate

program from the slope stability analysis engine. It allows
you to run the groundwater analysis independently of the
slope stability analysis. To run the analysis:
• select the Compute (Groundwater) option, from the

Analysis menu or the toolbar. This will run the
SLIDE Groundwater Analysis engine.
• You will see a Compute dialog while the analysis is

running. When the analysis is finished, you will be
returned to the SLIDE MODEL program.
After you have computed the groundwater analysis, you

should view the results of the groundwater analysis, by
selecting the Interpret (groundwater) option.
If the groundwater analysis results are satisfactory, then

you can return to the SLIDE MODEL program, switch
the Analysis Mode = Slope Stability, and proceed with
your slope stability analysis.
When you select the slope stability Compute option, the

slope stability analysis will automatically use the pore
pressures calculated from the groundwater analysis.
Groundwater Interpret
The results of a groundwater analysis are viewed with the

SLIDE INTERPRET program, using the options in the
Groundwater menu. NOTE:
• Groundwater analysis results can now be viewed

simultaneously with the slope stability analysis
results. The display of groundwater results (ie. pore
pressure contours), and the display of slope stability
results (ie. slip surfaces, safety factors etc) are now
fully integrated into a single program, the SLIDE
INTERPRET program.
• If you only wish to view groundwater results without

the slope stability results, or vice versa, then you can
easily turn display options on or off, as necessary.
To run the SLIDE INTERPRET program, select the

Interpret (groundwater) option, from the Analysis
menu or the toolbar, after you have computed the
groundwater analysis with the Compute (Groundwater)
option.
After you perform a groundwater analysis with SLIDE, it

is always a good idea to first use the INTERPRET
program, to check that the analysis results are
reasonable. If not, then you should go back to the SLIDE
MODEL program, and check that you have defined your
model correctly.
A simple introduction to groundwater modeling and data

interpretation using SLIDE, is found in the next tutorial.
Groundwater Tutorial
This tutorial will demonstrate a simple groundwater

analysis using SLIDE.
We will begin with the same model used for Tutorial 5

(the Water Pressure Grid tutorial). However, rather than
read in a Water Pressure Grid from a file, we will carry
out a seepage analysis in order to determine the pore
pressures within the slope.
We will then re-run the slope stability analysis, and

compare the results with Tutorial 5.
MODEL FEATURES:

• total head boundary conditions

Model
First, let’s read in the TUTORIAL5.SLI file.
Open the TUTORIAL5.SLI file.
Project Settings
In order to perform a groundwater analysis with SLIDE,
the FIRST thing you must always do, is to set the
Groundwater Method = Finite Element Analysis, in
Project Settings.
In the Project Settings dialog, select the Groundwater Tab,

and set the Groundwater Method = Finite Element
Analysis. Select OK.
You will notice the following:
• the Water Pressure Grid (the grid of blue triangles)

has disappeared from the model. Since we will be
obtaining pore pressures from the Groundwater
Analysis, the Water Pressure Grid will not be used,
and has been automatically deleted.
• the Water Table which was used for defining the

ponded water in Tutorial 5, has also been deleted.
When we define the groundwater boundary
conditions, ponded water will automatically be
created based on the total head boundary conditions.
• The Analysis Mode option now appears in the SLIDE

toolbar. The Analysis Mode allows you to switch
between Slope Stability Analysis Mode, and
Groundwater Analysis Mode.
To begin with, we will use Slope Stability Analysis mode,

since we have to do a bit of editing to the boundaries.
(Boundary defining and editing can only be done in Slope
Stability Analysis Mode).
Boundary Editing
Before we proceed with the groundwater modeling, we
have to make one small modification to the external
boundary.
To correctly define the boundary conditions for the

groundwater problem, we need to add two vertices to the
external boundary. Select the Add Vertices option from
the toolbar.
Select: Boundaries → Edit → Add Vertices
Enter coordinates for the following two vertices:
Enter location for new vertex [esc=quit]: 32 26

Enter location for new vertex [esc=quit]: 65 31.8
Enter location for new vertex [esc=quit]: press
Enter or right-click and select Done
The two vertices you have added define the level of the
water table (phreatic surface) at the slope face, and at the
right edge of the model. These vertices will be necessary
in order to correctly assign the total head boundary
conditions.
Figure 8-1: New vertices added to external boundary.

Groundwater Analysis Mode

We are now ready to define the groundwater problem.
The groundwater modeling options in SLIDE, are only
enabled when you set the Analysis Mode = Groundwater
in the SLIDE toolbar. Select Groundwater analysis mode.
When the Analysis Mode = Groundwater, you will notice

that the menus and toolbars are updated:
• The modeling options relevant to the Groundwater

Analysis are now available.
• The modeling options which are relevant to the slope

stability analysis, are now hidden.
Also notice that the Search Grid (for the circular surface
Grid Search) and the Slope Limits symbols, are not
displayed, when you are in Groundwater Analysis Mode.
In general:
• Modeling entities which are only applicable to the

SLOPE STABILITY ANALYSIS are NOT displayed
when ANALYSIS MODE = GROUNDWATER.
• Modeling entities which are only applicable to the

GROUNDWATER ANALYSIS are NOT displayed
when ANALYSIS MODE = SLOPE STABILITY.
Meshing
The groundwater analysis in SLIDE is a finite element
analysis, and therefore a finite element mesh is required
in order to solve the problem.
You can create the finite element mesh, with a single

mouse click, by selecting the Discretize and Mesh
option. In one step, this will automatically:
1. Discretize the model boundaries (the discretization of

the boundaries forms the framework of the finite
element mesh)
2. Generate a graded finite element mesh within the

model boundaries.
Select: Mesh → Discretize and Mesh
Your model should appear as follows.
Figure 8-2: Finite element mesh.

NOTE:
• The mesh is generated based on the Mesh Setup

parameters specified in the Mesh Setup dialog (we
used the defaults: 3 Noded Triangular elements and
Approximate Number of Elements = 1500).
• For this simple model, the default mesh generated by

the Discretize and Mesh option, is adequate.
• However, note that SLIDE allows total user control

over the generation and customization of the mesh. If
the mesh requires customization, many different
options are available in the Mesh menu, which allow
the user to customize the mesh as necessary.
• Experimenting with the meshing options is beyond

the scope of this tutorial. The user is encouraged to
experiment with the mesh options, after completing
this tutorial. For details about the use of the mesh
options, refer to the SLIDE Help system.
Boundary Conditions
After the finite element mesh has been generated, the
user must then define the boundary conditions which
define the groundwater problem they wish to solve.
This is done with the Set Boundary Conditions option,

which allows the user to define all of the necessary
pressure and flow boundary conditions along the model
boundaries, or at any other node(s) of the mesh.
Notice that by default, when the mesh is generated:
• the slope surface is given an Unknown boundary

condition (P=0 or Q= 0)
• the bottom and side edges of the external boundary,

are given the Zero Nodal Flow boundary condition.
We will have to specify the boundary conditions as

follows.
Select: Mesh → Set Boundary Conditions
You will see the Set Boundary Conditions dialog.
We will set TOTAL HEAD boundary conditions as

follows:
1. First select Zoom All (you can use the F2 function
key), to make sure the model is fully zoomed in the
view.
2. Now, make sure the Total Head boundary condition

option is selected in the Set Boundary Conditions
dialog, as shown above.
3. In the dialog, enter a Total Head Value = 26 meters.

Also make sure the Pick by: External Segment option
is selected.
4. Now you must select the desired boundary segments,

by clicking on them with the mouse.
5. Click on the THREE segments of the external

boundary indicated in Figure 8-3. (ie. the left edge of
the external boundary, and the two segments at the
toe of the slope).
Figure 8-3: Assigning boundary conditions (selected segments).
6. When the segments are selected, right-click the

mouse and select Assign. A boundary condition of
Total Head = 26 meters is now assigned to these line
segments. (Notice that the program has automatically
created ponded water corresponding to a Total Head =
26 meters. See the next page for more information).
7. Now enter a Total Head Value = 31.8 meters in the

dialog. Select the lower right segment of the external
boundary. Right-click and select Assign.
8. The necessary boundary conditions are now assigned.
The Total Head boundary conditions represent the

elevation of the phreatic surface (ponded water) at the left
of the model (26 m), and the elevation of the phreatic
surface at the right edge of the model (31.8 m).
Remember the two extra vertices we added to the model.

It is now apparent that these were necessary in order to
assign the total head boundary conditions to the correct
segments of the external boundary.
Select Close in the Set Boundary Conditions dialog.

Automatic Creation of Ponded Water

Notice that the program automatically created ponded
water (the blue hatch pattern), corresponding to the Total
Head boundary condition of 26 meters.
Figure 8-4: Ponded water corresponding to Total Head boundary

conditon.
Whenever the Total Head boundary conditions indicate

that ponded water exists above the slope, SLIDE will
automatically create the ponded water. (This occurs when
the value of Total Head is greater than the y-coordinate
along the boundary).
• For the groundwater analysis, the ponded water is

simply a display option, which allows you to check
that you have entered the correct Total Head
boundary condition. It is not actually used by the
• However, for the slope stability analysis, the ponded

water will be used in the analysis (ie. the weight and
hydrostatic force of the ponded water, will be taken
into account in the slope stability analysis). This
ponded water will have the same effect, as the ponded
water defined by the Water Table in Tutorial 5.
Hydraulic Properties
The last thing we have to do to complete the groundwater
model, is define the hydraulic properties (permeability) of
the slope material.
Select: Properties → Define Hydraulic Properties
In the Define Hydraulic Properties dialog, enter a

saturated permeability Ks = 5e-8. Select OK.
NOTE: the model used for this tutorial, and the Water
Pressure Grid tutorial, is based on a model from the 1989
ACADS soil slope stability programs review. (Giam,
P.S.K. & I.B. Donald 1989, Example problems for testing
soil slope stability programs, Civil Engineering Research
Report No. 8 / 1989, Monash University, Australia). The
value of Ks comes from this reference.
ALSO NOTE: Since we are dealing with a single material

model, and since you entered properties with the first
(default) tab selected, you do not have to Assign these
properties to the model. SLIDE automatically assigns the
default properties (ie. the properties of the first material
in the Define Material Properties dialog) for you.
We are now finished with the groundwater modeling, and

can proceed to run the groundwater analysis.
Compute (groundwater)

GW1.sli. (SLIDE model files have a .SLI filename
extension).
Select: Analysis → Compute (groundwater)
The GROUNDWATER COMPUTE engine will proceed in

running the finite element groundwater analysis. This
should only take a few seconds. When completed, you are
ready to view the results. NOTE:
• When you are doing a groundwater analysis with

SLIDE, when you save the file, TWO files are actually
saved: an .SLI file which contains the slope stability
modeling information, and an .SLW file, which
contains the groundwater modeling information.
• Similarly, when you COMPUTE the groundwater

analysis, results are stored in a .W01 file. When you
COMPUTE the slope stability analysis, results are
stored in a .S01 file.
Interpret (groundwater)
We can now view the results of the groundwater analysis

in the SLIDE INTERPRET program.
Select: Analysis → Interpret (groundwater)
Your screen should appear as follows.
Figure 8-5: Pressure Head contours.
By default, you will see contours of Pressure Head on the

model. The Legend in the upper left corner of the view,
indicates the values of the contours.
The contour display can be customized with the Contour

Options dialog, which is available in the View menu, or
the right-click menu. This is left as an optional exercise
for the user to explore, after completing this tutorial.
Water Table
You will notice on the plot, a pink line which is displayed
on the model. This line highlights the location of the
Pressure Head = 0 contour boundary.
By definition, a Water Table is defined by the location of

the Pressure Head = 0 contour boundary. Therefore, for a
slope model such as this, this line represents the position
of the Water Table (phreatic surface) determined from the
finite element analysis.
The display of the Water Table can be turned on or off

using the toolbar shortcut, the Display Options dialog, or
the right-click shortcut (right-click ON the Water Table
and select Hide Water Table).
As an optional exercise, you can compare:
• the Water Table determined from the groundwater

analysis (in this tutorial)
• with the Water Table which we entered in Tutorial 5,
for the slope stability analysis.
You will see that the location of the Water Table is very
similar in both models.
Also notice that the contours of Pressure Head, above the

Water Table, have negative values. The negative pressure
head calculated above the water table, is commonly
referred to as the “matric suction” in the unsaturated
zone. This is discussed later in the tutorial.
To view contours of other data (Total Head, Pressure, or

Discharge Velocity), simply use the mouse to select from
the drop-down list in the toolbar.
Select Total Head contours from the drop-down list.

Flow Vectors
Right click the mouse and select Display Options. Select
the Groundwater tab. Toggle ON the Flow Vectors option.
Toggle OFF all of the Boundary Condition options. Select
Done. (Flow Vectors and other Display Options can also
be toggled on or off with shortcut buttons in the toolbar.)
Figure 8-6: Total Head contours and flow vectors.
As expected, the direction of the flow vectors corresponds

to decreasing values of the total head contours.
NOTE: the relative size of the flow vectors (as displayed

on the screen), corresponds to the magnitude of the flow
velocity. Select Total Discharge Velocity contours (from
the toolbar list), and verify this. The size of the flow
vectors can be scaled in the Display Options dialog. This
is left as an optional exercise.
Now turn off the flow vectors by re-selecting the flow

vectors option from the toolbar.
Flow Lines
Select Total Head contours again.
We can also add Flow Lines to the plot. Flow lines can be
added individually, with the Add Flow Line option. Or
multiple flow lines can be automatically generated with
the Add Multiple Flow Lines option.
Select: Groundwater → Lines → Add Multiple Flow Lines
1. First, make sure the Snap option is enabled in the

Status Bar. If not, then click on the Snap option in the
Status Bar (or you can right click the mouse and
enable Snap from the popup menu).
2. Click the mouse on the UPPER RIGHT CORNER of

the external boundary.
3. Click the mouse on the LOWER RIGHT CORNER of

the external boundary.
4. Right click and select Done.
5. You will then see a dialog. Enter a value of 8 and

select OK.
The generation of the flow lines may take a few seconds.

Your screen should look as follows.
Figure 8-7: Total Head contours and flow lines.
Notice that the flow lines are perpendicular to the Total

Head contours. (Note: only 6 flow lines are displayed,
although we entered a value of 8, because the first and
last flow lines are exactly on the boundary, and are not
displayed.)
Now delete the flow lines (select Delete Flow Lines from
the toolbar, right click and select Delete All, and select
OK in the dialog which appears).
Iso-Lines
An iso-line is a line of constant contour value, displayed
on a contour plot.
As we discussed earlier, the pink line which is displayed

on the model, represents the Water Table determined by
the groundwater analysis. By definition, the Water Table
represents an iso-line of zero pressure head. Let’s verify
that the displayed Water Table does in fact represent a
line of zero pressure (P = 0 iso-line), by adding an iso-line
to the plot.
First, make sure you select Pressure Head contours.
Select: Groundwater → Lines → Add Iso Line
Click the mouse on the Water Table line (if Snap is

enabled, the cursor will snap exactly on the Water Table).
You will then see the Add Iso-Line dialog.
The dialog will display the exact value (Pressure Head) of

the location at which you clicked. It may not be exactly
zero, so enter zero in the dialog, and select the Add
button.
An Iso-Line of zero pressure head, will be added to the

model. It overlaps the displayed Water Table exactly,
verifying that the Water Table is the P = 0 line.
Queries
Another useful feature of the INTERPRET program, is
the ability to create a Query, to obtain detailed analysis
results.
For groundwater results, a Query allows the user to add a

line or polyline, anywhere on the model contours. The
Query can then be used to graph values of the contoured
data along the Query line or polyline.
Let’s demonstrate this now. We will create a query which

consists of a single vertical line segment, from the vertex
at the crest of the slope, to the bottom of the external
boundary.
Select: Groundwater → Query → Add Material Query
1. The Snap option should still be enabled. Click the

mouse on the vertex at the crest of the slope, at
coordinates (50 , 35).
2. Enter the coordinates (50 , 20) in the prompt line, as

the second point (or if you have the Ortho Snap option
enabled, you can enter this graphically).
3. Right click and select Done, or press Enter. You will

see the following dialog.
4. Enter a value of 20 in the edit box. Select OK.

5. The query will be created, as you will see by the

vertical line segment, and the display of interpolated
values at the 20 points along the line segment.
6. Zoom in to the query, so that you can read the values.
7. Now we can graph this data with the Graph Material

Queries option (in the Groundwater > Query menu or
the toolbar).
8. A shortcut to graph data for a single query, is to right

click the mouse ON the Query line. Do this now, and
select Graph Data from the popup menu. A graph will
be immediately generated, as shown in Figure 8-8.
Figure 8-8: Query of Pressure Head data.
The Query we have created, gives us the pressure head

along a vertical line from the crest of the slope to the
bottom of the external boundary. The data is obtained by
interpolation from the pressure head contours.
NOTE that although we have only used a single line

segment to define this Query, in general, a Query can be
an arbitrary polyline, with any number of segments,
added anywhere on or within the external boundary.
Data Tips Query

Finally, we will demonstrate one more querying feature,
the Data Tips Query option, which allows you to
graphically obtain interpolated values at any point on the
data contours.
1. First, close the graph of Pressure Head which we

created (select the X in the corner of the view).
2. Click on the Data Tips box on the status bar (at the
bottom of the application window), until the Data
Tips Query option is enabled.
3. Now hover the mouse over the contours on the model.

As you move the mouse over the contours, the exact
interpolated contour value and x-y location, is
displayed in a popup data tip.
4. This is a convenient, interactive and graphical way of

examining contour values at any point on the model.
Figure 8-9: Data Tips Query option.

For example, in the above figure, the Data Tip Query is

displaying the negative pressure head (suction) in the
unsaturated zone above the water table.
Note: in the above figure, we have deleted the query line

segment.
• Queries can be deleted with the Delete Material

Query option (toolbar or Groundwater > Query menu).
• A shortcut to delete individual queries, is to right

click on the entity, and select Delete from the popup
menu.
That wraps up our demonstration of viewing groundwater
analysis results with the SLIDE INTERPRET program.
Now, let’s get back to the slope stability analysis, so that

we can run the analysis using the pore pressures
generated by the groundwater analysis.
You should be returned to the SLIDE MODEL program.

Model
In the SLIDE MODEL program, change the Analysis

Mode from Groundwater to Slope Stability, by selecting
from the toolbar.
Notice that the modeling entities which are applicable to

the slope stability analysis, are once again displayed (ie.
Search Grid, Slope Limits, etc). The modeling entities
which are applicable to the groundwater analysis (eg.
mesh and boundary conditions), are now hidden.
Compute
Now let’s run the slope stability analysis.
The slope stability analysis will be run. Since we have

already carried out the groundwater analysis, the slope
stability analysis will automatically use the pore
pressures calculated by the groundwater analysis.
NOTE:
• If we had NOT computed the groundwater analysis

first, it would automatically be computed BEFORE
the slope stability analysis, when you selected the
slope stability compute option.
• However, in general, it is always a good idea to

compute the groundwater analysis separately, and
view the results of the groundwater analysis (as we
have done in this tutorial), BEFORE you proceed to
Interpret
You should see the following figure.
Figure 8-10: Slope stability analysis using pore pressures from

As you can see, after you have performed BOTH:
• A finite element groundwater analysis, and

• A slope stability analysis
with SLIDE, the results of BOTH analyses can be

displayed simultaneously in the SLIDE INTERPET
program. You can view the contours of groundwater
analysis results on the model and also view the slope
stability results (slip surfaces etc).
Notice that TWO legends are displayed – one legend is for

the slope stability (safety factor) results, and the other
legend is for the groundwater contours.
Since we have already viewed and discussed the

groundwater analysis results, let’s turn OFF the
groundwater display options, so that we will only view the
slope stability analysis results.
TIP – a convenient shortcut for quickly toggling the

Use the Mode option in the
View menu to quickly toggle
display of ALL groundwater (or slope stability) results
the display of Slope Stability ON or OFF is to use the Mode options in the View menu.
or Groundwater results. However, we still want to display the Water Table from
the groundwater analysis, so we will do the following.
1. Right-click and select Display Options. Select the

Groundwater tab, and clear ALL of the checkboxes for
the groundwater display options, EXCEPT the Water
Table and Ponded Water checkboxes. Select Done.
2. Right-click and select Contour Options (groundwater).

Turn the contour mode OFF. Select Done.
3. Right-click on the groundwater Legend. Select Hide

Legend from the popup menu.
Now we are only viewing the slope stability results in

SLIDE INTERPRET.
Let’s now compare the results with the Tutorial 5 results.
Open the file tutorial5.sli. NOTE: you may need to

compute this file, if you have not previously done so. If
you see a message dialog, follow the instructions so that
the slope stability analysis for the tutorial5.sli file is
computed.
Now, in the SLIDE INTEPRET program, tile the two

views, of the tutorial5.sli file, and the GW1.sli file.
Select: Window → Tile Vertically
Select Zoom All in each view, and hide the legend in each
view. You should see the following.
Figure 8-11: Tutorial 5 comparison with Tutorial 7 (safety factor).
Finally, we can compare results. As you can see, the

Global Minimum safety factor, for the Bishop analysis
method, is nearly the same, for each file (Tutorial5 =
1.499 and Tutorial 7 = 1.516)
The small difference can be easily accounted for, by the

fact that in Tutorial 5, the pore pressures were derived
from a water pressure grid file (which was originally
digitized from a flow net). In Tutorial 7, the pore
pressures were determined from the finite element
groundwater (seepage) analysis.
NOTE: we should check that the Global Minimum

surfaces, in each file, are actually the SAME surface. We
can do this easily as follows:
1. In each view, select the Data Tips Min (or Max) option
from the status bar.
2. Now hover the cursor over the slip center of the

Global Minimum surface, in each view. Compare the
center coordinates, and radius displayed in the popup
data tip.
3. You should find that the slip circles are in fact exactly
the same surface.
This is an important tip to remember: when you are

comparing different files, or different analysis methods –
you cannot assume that the critical slip surfaces are the
same surface. If they appear to be the same surface, you
should always check the actual slip surface coordinates, if
you plan on making detailed comparisons of analysis
results between different files, etc.
Now let’s compare the pore pressures along the Global

Minimum slip surface for each file. This way we can
directly compare the pore pressures calculated from the
pore pressure grid (Tutorial 5) and the groundwater
analysis (Tutorial 7).
A quick shortcut for graphing data for a slip surface, is to

right click on the slip surface (NOTE: you can click on the
surface, or on the radial lines joining the slip center to the
endpoints of the slip surface).
In each view:
1. Right click on the Global Minimum, and select Add

Query and Graph from the popup menu.
2. In the Graph Slice Data dialog, select Pore Pressure

from the Primary Data list, and select the Create Plot
button.
3. Now minimize the model views of each file, and select

the Tile Vertically option. You should see the
following graphs.
Figure 8-12: Tutorial 5 comparison with Tutorial 7 (pore pressure).
NOTE:
• For the water pressure grid file (Tutorial 5), pore

pressures above the water table are zero.
• However, for the groundwater analysis file,

NEGATIVE pore pressures are calculated, above the
water table. This represents the MATRIC SUCTION
pressures, calculated in the unsaturated zone above
the water table.
(The influence of MATRIC SUCTION on the safety factor,

is discussed in the last part of this tutorial).
To better compare the positive pore pressures, calculated

below the water table, do the following:
1. Right click on the pore pressure graph, for the

groundwater analysis file, and select Chart Properties
from the popup menu.
2. Enter a Minimum Vertical Axis value = 0. Select OK.
Your view should now appear as follows:
Figure 8-13: Tutorial 5 comparison with Tutorial 7 (pore pressure).
You can now see that the (positive) pore pressures

calculated for the Global Minimum slip surface, for the
two files, are very nearly the same.
The slight differences in the two graphs are accounted for

by the different methods used to determine the pore
pressure distribution within the slope.
• For the water pressure grid file, pore pressures were

interpolated from the grid values.
• For the groundwater analysis file, pore pressures are

interpolated from the pressure contours and the finite
element mesh.
Unsaturated Shear Strength
To conclude this tutorial, we will demonstrate one more

feature of SLIDE, which is available when a groundwater
analysis has been performed. That is, the contribution of
matric suction to the stability of a slope, by specifying an
unsaturated shear strength angle.
As shown in Figure 8-12, the SLIDE groundwater

analysis can result in NEGATIVE pore pressures, in the
unsaturated zone above the water table. These negative
pressures are actually the matric suction pressures in the
unsaturated zone.
It is known that matric suction can contribute to the

shear strength of a slope. By specifying an Unsaturated
Shear Strength Angle for a material, the shear strength
of the material in the unsaturated zone, will be
INCREASED by the amount:
ψ tan φb
where: ψ = matric suction (POSITIVE value), and φb =

unsaturated shear strength angle. (NOTE: by convention,
the term matric “suction” implies the POSITIVE, or
absolute value of the negative pore pressures calculated
in the unsaturated zone).
To demonstrate this, try the following:
1. Return to the SLIDE MODEL program.
2. Select the groundwater analysis file (GW1.sli).
3. Select Define Material Properties. Notice that, for a

groundwater analysis file in SLIDE, you may specify
an Unsaturated Shear Strength Angle.
4. By default, the Unsaturated Shear Strength Angle =

0. This means that matric suction in the unsaturated
zone, WILL NOT have any effect on the shear
strength or safety factor.
5. However, if you enter a non-zero value for

Unsaturated Shear Strength, then slip surfaces which
pass through a material in the unsaturated zone, will
have INCREASED shear strength, and safety factor.
6. For example, enter an Unsaturated Shear Strength

Angle = 15 degrees. Select OK.
7. Now re-run the slope stability analysis.
8. Examine the Global Minimum slip surface. It should

now have a safety factor = 1.557 (Bishop analysis).
9. Specifying an Unsaturated Shear Strength Angle, has

increased the Global Minimum safety factor.
The Unsaturated Shear Strength Angle is usually not a

well known quantity. To obtain an appreciation of its
importance, a parametric study can be carried out, in
which the Unsaturated Shear Strength angle is varied
between 0 and the Friction Angle of the material. This
can easily be done, using the Sensitivity Analysis option
in SLIDE. See the SLIDE Help system for more
information about Sensitivity Analysis.
Unsaturated shear strength can, in some cases, be a

critical factor in a slope stability analysis. It has been
observed, in some cases, that slopes which are near
critical equilibrium (safety factor just over 1), would not
be stable without including the effect of matric suction on
the shear strength.
That concludes this introduction to groundwater analysis

using SLIDE. Further groundwater examples are
discussed in the next section.
More Groundwater Examples 195
More Groundwater Examples
Groundwater Verification Examples
Additional examples of groundwater modeling and

analysis using SLIDE, can be found in the SLIDE
Groundwater Verification Manual.
The SLIDE Groundwater Verification Manual is available

as a PDF document, in your SLIDE installation folder. It
is also accessible through the Windows Start menu (select
Start → Programs → Rocscience → Slide 5.0 → Manuals).
The files used for the verification examples, can be found

in the Groundwater Verification sub-folder, in the
These examples demonstrate more advanced features of

the SLIDE groundwater analysis, including material
permeability functions, infiltration boundary conditions,
mapped meshing, and other features.
Figure 9-1: Two material model, with different permeabilities.

Probabilistic Analysis
SLIDE now has extensive probabilistic analysis

capabilities. Almost all input parameters can be defined
as random variables. This includes:
• Material properties
• Support Properties
• Water Table Location / Piezo Line Pressure Head
• Loading / Seismic Loading
• Tension Crack Location / Water Level
To define a random variable, the user specifies a

statistical distribution for an input parameter. This
allows the user to account for the degree of uncertainty in
the value of the parameter. Any number or combination of
random variables can be defined.
A set of random samples is then generated for each

random variable. When the Probabilistic Analysis is
computed, this results in a distribution of safety factors,
from which a probability of failure (or reliability index)
for the slope can be calculated (see Figure 10-1).
Probabilistic slope stability analysis should be seen as a

complementary approach to traditional deterministic
(safety factor) analyses. A great deal of valuable insight
can be obtained from a probabilistic slope analysis.
For example, two slopes which have the same factor of

safety, may not have the same probability of failure. This
will depend on the variability of the input data random
variables.
Tutorials which illustrate the Probabilistic analysis

features of SLIDE, are found in the SLIDE User’s Guide –
Part 2. This is available in your SLIDE installation folder,
as a PDF document, which can be printed if desired.
Figure 10-1: Histogram of safety factor. Failed analyses ( FS < 1 )

highlighted. Probability of Failure = 11 %.
Sensitivity Analysis
Sensitivity Analysis can be easily carried out with SLIDE.

In a Sensitivity Analysis, the effect of individual variables
on the safety factor, is determined by varying uniformly
between minimum and maximum values. This results in
a plot of safety factor versus the variable.
A sensitivity plot with three variables, is shown below.

When multiple variables are plotted, the horizontal axis
of the plot is in terms of percent change (minimum value
= 0 and maximum value of variable = 100 %). In Figure
10-2:
• Friction angle has the steepest curve, indicating the
greatest effect on safety factor.
• Unit weight has a nearly flat curve, indicating very

little effect on safety factor.
• Cohesion is the intermediate curve.
Figure 10-2: Sensitivity plot of three variables (friction angle,

cohesion and unit weight).

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2D limit equilibrium slope stability

 1989 - 2003 Rocscience Inc.

Quick Start Tutorial 7

Editing Drawing Tools ................................................................... 32

Materials & Loading Tutorial 37

Non-Circular Surfaces Tutorial 67

Composite Surfaces Tutorial 87

Water Pressure Grid Tutorial 105

Add Water Table ......................................................................... 113

Support Tutorial 129

Groundwater Analysis Overview 155

Groundwater Tutorial 163

More Groundwater Examples 195

Probabilistic Analysis 197

Slope Stability Analysis

SLIDE analyzes the stability of slip surfaces using

• Critical surface search methods for circular or non-

A complete finite element, steady state groundwater

The Groundwater Analysis in SLIDE allows the user to

See the groundwater analysis tutorials at the end of this

SLIDE also has extensive probabilistic analysis

By assigning a statistical distribution to one or more

Probabilistic slope stability analysis should be seen as a

Examples of probabilistic analysis using SLIDE, can be

The documentation for the SLIDE program is organized

1. Tutorials (User’s Guide)

2. Reference (Help system)

• The first six tutorials deal with different aspects of

• The last two tutorials explain how to carry out a

tutorial1 Quick Start Tutorial – a simple tutorial

tutorial2 Materials / Loading Tutorial – introduction

tutorial3 Non-Circular Surfaces Tutorial – a non-

tutorial4 Composite Surfaces Tutorial – a composite

tutorial5 Water Pressure Grid Tutorial – how to

tutorial6 Support Tutorial – how support can be

(none) Groundwater Overview – an overview of

tutorial7 Groundwater Tutorial – a simple

It is recommended that the user follow the step-by-step

For information on any SLIDE options which are not

Select: Help → Help Topics

in either the SLIDE Model or SLIDE Interpret programs.

If you wish to have a paper copy of the SLIDE reference

The verification model files can be found in the Slope

• They can also be accessed through the Windows Start

• The PDF documents can also be downloaded from our

PDF files are viewed with Adobe Acrobat reader. The

Quick Start Tutorial

This “quick start” tutorial will demonstrate some of the

• homogeneous, single material slope

NOTE: the finished product of this tutorial can be found

If the SLIDE application window is not already

Note that when the SLIDE MODEL program is started, a

Select: View → Limits

Enter the following minimum and maximum x-y