Further Research
The “Rapid Drawdown with Effective Stress.gsz” file includes a transient stability analysis you may use to see an example of this feature. (You will need GeoStudio 2007 version 7.10 or higher to open this file.) “Rapid Drawdown with Effective Stress.pdf” is an accompanying commentary describing the why and the how behind setting up the model.
If you don’t already own GeoStudio 2007, you can download a full-featured evaluation. The evaluation will let you open any file and use all the commands; it just won’t let you save any changes.
Download the “Rapid Drawdown with Effective Stress.gsz” file for GeoStudio 2007 version 7.10 or higher and get the “Rapid Drawdown with Effective Stress.pdf” commentary file as well.
Conclusion
As with any modeling software, remember that SLOPE/W is just a tool; always use your engineering judgment to filter the answers SLOPE/W gives you, making sure you understand why the FOS changes as it does.
With that in mind, a transient stability analysis can give you a fresh look at how the stability of a slope changes over time, and may help you understand where to focus your attention.
About the Author
Nate Hekman has been a software developer with GEO-SLOPE International since the days when only two developers worked on the user interface of what is now branded GeoStudio 2007. His passion is to make the software so easy to use you don’t even think about it, but until that day comes, he’s happy to share insider tips and tricks on his blog, Grokking GeoStudio (and the occasional article on GeoPrac.net!).
