SLIP4EX- a program for routine slope stability analysis to include the effects of vegetation, reinforcement and hydrological changes

SLIP4EX is a straightforward computer program developed in connection with the EU funded ECOSLOPES project for routine stability analysis and the assessment of the contribution of vegetation to slope stability. The slope section is drawn up and dimensions and parameters are fed in to the Microsoft Excel based program for stability calculations and comparisons of Factors of Safety using different methods of analysis (Bishop, Janbu, Fellenius, Simple, Greenwood). The background and assumptions involved in the derivation of each of the methods is briefly described. The simplicity of the program enables the user to understand the nature of the analysis, explore the parameter assumptions made and compare the different methods of analysis. Soil reinforcement by geosynthetic layers or anchors, and vegetation effects of enhanced cohesion, changed water pressures, mass of vegetation, wind forces and root reinforcement forces are readily included in the analysis. The program is freely available on request from the author

Root reinforcement of soils under compression

It is well recognized that roots reinforce soils and that the distribution of roots within vegetated hillslopes strongly influences the spatial distribution of soil strength. Previous studies have focussed on the contribution of root reinforcement under conditions of tension or shear. However, no systematic investigation into the contribution of root reinforcement to soils experiencing compression, such as the passive Earth forces at the toe of a landslide, is found in the literature. An empirical-analytical model (CoRoS) for the quantification of root reinforcement in soils under compression is presented and tested against experimental data. The CoRoS model describes the force-displacement behavior of compressed, rooted soils and can be used to provide a framework for improving slope stability calculations. Laboratory results showed that the presence of 10 roots with diameters ranging from 6 to 28 mm in a rectangular soil profile 0.72 m by 0.25 m increased the compressive strength of the soil by about 40% (2.5 kN) at a displacement of 0.05 m, while the apparent stiffness of the rooted soil was 38% higher than for root-free soil. The CoRoS model yields good agreement with experimentally determined values of maximum reinforcement force and compression force as a function of displacement. These results indicate that root reinforcement under compression has a major influence on the mechanical behavior of soil and that the force-displacement behavior of roots should be included in analysis of the compressive regimes that commonly are present in the toe of landslides

Seismic Attributes from Ultra-Thin Layered Reservoir

We propose the method of computation seismic AVO attributes (intercept and gradient) from ultra-thin geological model based on the SBED modelling software. The SBED software is based on manipulating sine-functions, creating surfaces representing incremental sedimentation. Displacement of the surfaces creates a three dimensional image mimicking bedform migration, and depositional environments as diverse as tidal channels and mass flows can be accurately recreated. The resulting modelled deposit volume may be populated with petrophysical information, creating intrinsic properties such as porosity and permeability (both vertical and horizontal). The Backus averaging technique is used for up-scaling within the centimetre scale (the intrinsic net-to-gross value controls the acoustic properties of the ultra-thin layers). It results in pseudolog data including the intrinsic anisotropy parameters. The synthetic seismic modelling is given by the matrix propagator method allows us to take into account all pure mode multiples, and resulting AVO attributes become frequency dependent. Within this ultra-thin model we can test different fluid saturation scenarios and quantify the likelihood of possible composite analogues. This modelling can also be used for inversion of real seismic data into net-to-gross and fluid saturation for ultra-thin reservoirs