Bishop-Morgenstern stability

coefficients
 Bishop-Morgenstern stability coefficients

 The solution by iteration, using the Bishop’s analysis discussed

earlier, is time consuming. To simplify the procedure for the stability
analysis of simple slopes composed of only one material, Bishop and
Morgenstern (1960) have suggested the use of stability coefficients.

 The method uses the effective stress analysis. Bishop and

Morgenstern proposed that the factor of safety F is dependent on five
parameters, namely, the slope angle , the depth factor D (defined as
in Taylor’s method), angle of shearing resistance , non-dimensional
parameter c/H and the pore pressure ratio ru.

 After analysing thousands of slopes, Bishop and Morgenstern have

presented the results in the form of charts and tables.
 The factor of safety is given by
F = m –nru (Eq. 1)
 Where m and n are called stability coefficients which may be
obtained from a set of charts, as functions of  and .

 The first term on the right hand side of (Eq. 1) gives the value of F
without considering the effect of pore water pressure and the second
term gives the decrease in factor of safety on account of pore water
pressure.

 An average value of pore pressure ratio ru is calculated for the

triangular portion under the slope.

 Charts are available in m and n pairs for three values of D (1.0, 1.25
and 1.5) and for three values of c/H (0, 0.025 and 0.05). Fig. 1
gives the charts for effective stress stability coefficients m and n.
Fig 1(a,b) Bishop – Morgenstern stability coefficients
Fig 1(c,d) Bishop – Morgenstern stability coefficients
Fig 1(e,f) Bishop – Morgenstern stability coefficients
 For the appropriate value of c/H, a coefficient rue is first read from the
lower chart using the broken line curves, for D = 1.0. If rue ru , the
particular depth factor chosen is the correct one and the m and n
coefficients are read from the pair of charts.

 If rue ru , then the critical circle lies at a greater depth than the one to
which this chart refers. Hence, the charts with the next higher depth
factor, that is, D = 1.25, is referred and so on.

 If lower chart does not have dashed lines, the critical circle will always
be above the depth corresponding to that D value for all values of ru.

 Once the right pair of charts gives the values of m and n, Eq. 1 is used to
determine the desired factor of safety
 If the calculated c/H values are different from the three values for
which the charts are available, two values of factor of safety, F1 and F2
are determined for two values c/H , one below and the other above the
actual value.

 The actual factor of safety is then obtained by interpolating between F1

and F2.

Determination of the average value of ru

 The pore pressure ratio ru will not be constant over the cross section of
an embankment and a simple procedure as described below can be
adopted to determine the average value.

 Fig. 2 shows the cross – section of an embankment and it is required to

determine the average value of ru for analysing the downstream slope.
Fig. 2 Determination of average ru
 The base of the embankment is divided into a convenient number of
vertical slices. At the centre of each slice, the ru values are determined at
a number of points as shows in Fig. 2.

 The ru value applicable for a particular slice is given by:

ℎ1 𝑟𝑢1 +ℎ2 𝑟𝑢2 +ℎ3 𝑟𝑢3 +ℎ4 𝑟𝑢4

ru =
ℎ1 +ℎ2 +ℎ3 +ℎ4

 The ru value applicable for the whole cross-section is given by:

𝐴𝑝 𝑟𝑢𝑝 +𝐴𝑞 𝑟𝑢𝑞 +𝐴𝑟 𝑟𝑢𝑟 +𝐴𝑠 𝑟𝑢𝑠

ru =
𝐴𝑝 +𝐴𝑞 +𝐴𝑟 +𝐴𝑠

 In which 𝐴𝑝 is the area of the slice p, the average pore pressure ratio
value of slice p and so on.
Example
A cutting, 20m deep, is made in a clay soil with its slope at 3 horizontal
to 1 vertical. The average value of pore pressure ratio ru is 0.3. The soil
has the following properties:

c = 15 kN/m2 ;  = 20,  = 20 kN/m3

Using the Bishop – Morgenstern effective stress stability coefficients,

determine the factor of safety of the slope.

Solution
𝑐 15
= = 0.0375
𝐻 20 x 20
𝑐
Since there is no chart for this value of , the interpolation procedure is
𝐻
adopted.
 𝑐
 For = 0.025 and D =1.00 (Fig . 1(d)),
𝐻
rue = 0.55

 Since rue ru , use D = 1.00 charts.

 From the chart (Fig . 1(d)), m = 1.55, n= 1.30.

F1 = m – nru = 1.55 – 1.30 x 0.3 = 1.16

𝑐
 For = 0.05 and D =1.00 (Fig . 1(a)),
𝐻
rue = 0 i.e,  ru

 So use the chart with the next higher value of D.

 𝑐
 For = 0.05 and D =1.25 (Fig . 1(b)),
𝐻
rue  0.8  ru
 Hence, use the D = 1.25 charts.
 From the chart (Fig . 1(b)), m = 1.8, n= 1.40.

F2 = m – nru = 1.8 – 1.40 x 0.3 = 1.38

 To determined the actual factor of safety value of F, interpolate

𝑐
between F1 and F2 for = 0.0375
𝐻
0.05−0.0375
F = 1.16 +(1.38 – 1.16) x
0.05−0.025
or F = 1.27