A new procedure for computing the factor of safety using the Morgenstern-Price method

Abstract

By employing the same assumption regarding interslice forces as that used in the Morgenstern-Price method, two concise recurrence relations between interslice forces and interslice moments are derived which satisfy both force and moment equilibrium conditions. The Newton-Raphson method is used for determining the factor of safety and the associated scaling parameter of the interslice force function. Algebraic derivatives required in the solution process are evolved in a recursive manner which can be easily implemented in a computer program. The choices of initial values of safety factor and scaling parameter are suggested. The procedure proposed in this paper proves to be efficient and solutions converge rapidly.