Ponded Water Pressure

To include Ponded Water Pressure in the analysis, select the Ponded Water Pressure check box in the Input Data dialog, and two Slope Face Type options will be available.

Impervious

The Impervious option assumes that the Slope and Upper Slope are impervious and that the Ponded Water Depth has no impact on the Joint Water Pressure.

Pervious

The Pervious option assumes that the Slope and Upper Slope are pervious and that the Ponded Water Depth has an impact on the way Joint Water Pressure is computed. For any water-filled point within the joint, pressure varies from zero at the free water surface to a maximum value at some point on joint planes. The free water surface is composed of a combination of planes defined by:

• The horizontal ponded water surface,
• The slope face, and
• The joint water surface (parallel to the upper slope).

Notes:

• Ponded Water Depth is measured vertically from the base of the Slope and can extend above the extents of the Upper Slope to fully submerge the wedge.
• Joint Water Pressure Distribution Model is unavailable when the Pervious option is selected.
• To simulate ponded materials other than water (i.e. fill, tailings, etc.), you can change the Unit Weight of the ponded water to the actual unit weight. The Joint Water Pressure is calculated from the Joint Water Pressure input parameters.
• To simulate a "dry" slope, you can clear the Ponded Water Pressure check box in the Input Data dialog, or enter a Ponded Water Depth of zero.