Sensitivity analysis applied to slope stabilization at failure

This article discusses how sensitivity analysis is a sound assessment tool for selecting the most efficient stabilization method of slopes at failure. A discretized form of the variational approach is used not only for performing sensitivity analysis but to locate the critical slip surface, i.e., the sensitivity analysis is carried out in the same way as it is done in optimization problems. This method supplies a robust formulation and methodology for obtaining the sensitivities of the safety factor with respect to both the soil parameters and the slope profile, stating the slope stabilization design as a relatively simple minimization problem. Two well known examples, as the Selset landslide and the Sudbury Hill slip are used to illustrate the application of the method and to highlight both its capabilities and limitations. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.