Three-dimensional stability evaluation of landslides and a sliding process simulation using a new geographic information systems component

In this paper, based on a column-based three-dimensional (3-D) slope-stability analysis model, a new geographic information systems (GIS) grid-based 3-D deterministic model is developed. Assuming the initial slip as the lower part of an ellipsoid, the identification of the 3-D critical slip surface in the 3-D slope-stability analysis is performed by means of a minimization of the 3-D safety factor using the Monte Carlo random simulation. Using this 3-D GIS grid-based model and the GIS data for sliding process simulation, the landslide body will slide directing in the main slip inclination direction until its safety factor is up to 1. All the calculations are implemented by a computational program called 3-DSLOPEGIS, where a GIS component is used to fulfill the GIS spatial analysis function.