Loads
Distributed and line loads on the ground surface, how to enter them and how they act on the slices of a slip surface.
cSlope has two kinds of external load, both vertical and both acting on the ground surface.
Distributed loads (UDL)
Open Model › External loads › UDL. Each row is one load:
| Column | Meaning |
|---|---|
| q | Vertical pressure in kPa, per horizontal metre, between x1 and x2 |
| x1, x2 | The horizontal extent of the load, in metres |
+ Add UDL adds a load of 10 kPa from x = 0 to 5 m. On the canvas you can drag the two ends of a load horizontally while the UDL window is open.
Line loads
Open Model › External loads › Line loads. Each row is a vertical line load P in kN per metre run at position x. + Add Line Load adds a load of 50 kN/m at x = 10 m. Line loads can also be dragged on the canvas.
How loads enter the analysis
A load on the ground above a slice adds to the slice's weight. A load outside the sliding mass has no effect on that slip surface. All load values accept parameters.
With partial factors switched on, both kinds of load are multiplied by the load factor γQ.
Tip
A load on the crest usually lowers the factor of safety. A load on the toe, in the resisting part of the sliding mass, can raise it. With undrained soil a load on the resisting side never lowers it.