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Abstract

A three-dimensional slope stability method based on limit analysis is proposed to investigate the pore water pressure effects. A rigid-block translational collapse mechanism is considered, with energy dissipation taking place along planar velocity discontinuities. The failure mass is assumed to be symmetrical and homogeneous. The approach can be considered as the modification and extension of the procedure proposed by Farzaneh and Askari in 2003. Results are compared with those obtained by other researchers in two and three dimensional cases.