| Effective Term: | 2024/05 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Innovation, Science & Sustainability |
| Unit Title: | Slope Stability |
| Unit ID: | MGGGC7105 |
| Credit Points: | 15.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | Nil |
| Co-requisite(s): | Nil |
| Exclusion(s): | Nil |
| ASCED: | 030911 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
This course introduces the engineering behaviour of natural and engineered soil / rock slopes, the factors that affect the stability of the slopes, and the analysis methods with and without considering the variation of material properties under various conditions. Some basic knowledge about numerical modelling is also included in the course. After finishing the course, the students are anticipated to be able to analyse the stability of rock / soil slopes using the methods introduced during the course. |
| Grade Scheme: | Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF) |
| Work Experience Indicator: |
| No work experience |
| Placement Component: | |
| Supplementary Assessment:Yes |
| Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment |
| Course Level: |
| Level of Unit in Course | AQF Level(s) of Course | | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | | Introductory | | | | | | | | Intermediate | | | | | | | | Advanced | | | | |  | |
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| Learning Outcomes: |
| Knowledge: |
| K1. | Describe the behaviour of natural and engineered soil / rock slopes under various weather and engineering conditions. |
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| K2. | Explain the factors that may affect the stability of slopes. |
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| K3. | Describe the difference between deterministic and probabilistic analysis methods for slope stability analysis. |
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| K4. | Select an appropriate slope stability analysis method subject to geometry of slope, material properties, and uncertainty of observations. |
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| K5. | Outline the use of advanced numerical modelling tools to analyse the behaviour of slopes. |
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| Skills: |
| S1. | Choose appropriate material properties and use suitable methods to analyse the stability of different types of slopes. |
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| S2. | Assess the potential landslide risk of slopes. |
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| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Analyse the stability of slopes considering a range of environmental and engineering processes. |
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| A2. | Use advanced numerical method tools to simulate the behaviour of slopes. |
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| Unit Content: |
Week 1 - Geology and slopes: Geological structure and slope movement, groundwater, seismic effects, initial stress, weathering, previous landslide activities, natural slopes, cut and fill.
Week 2 - Drained and undrained condition: Total and effective stress theory, short and long term stability, selection of soil strength parameters.
Week 3 - Slope stability analysis: Infinite slopes, plane failure, wedge failure, tension cracks.
Week 4 - Slope stability analysis: Slip failure.
Week 5 - Water effects: Rainfall induced landslides, rapid drawdown, and water rise in dam.
Week 6 - Discontinuities in rocks and failure modes of rock slopes.
Week 7 - Analysis of rock slopes: Limit equilibrium analysis, plane failure, wedge failure, Hoek and Bray simplified method.
Week 8 - Slope stability in Intermediate Geotechnical Materials (IGMs) and case study.
Week 9 - Numerical modelling: Stress and strain analysis, Introduction of finite element method and finite differential method, parameters required for numerical modelling.
Week 10 - Slope stability evaluation index: Factor of safety and probability of failure.
Week 11 - Probabilistic analysis: First order and reliability method, Monte Carlo simulation.
Week 12 - Case study. |
| Graduate Attributes: |
| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | | 1. | K1, K2, K3, S1, S2, A1 | Slopes for road embankments and dams. | Coursework â€" Essay (2000 words). | 20-35% | | 2. | K1, K2, K3, K4, S1, S2, A1, A2 | Large excavation in open cuts. | Coursework - Case study and report (4000 words). | 20-35% | | 3. | K3, K4, K5, S1, S2, A2 | Probabilistic and deterministic analysis of slopes. | Coursework - Project. | 30-50% |
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