Slide2 & RS2: The Ultimate Slope Stability Analysis Verification Tool
Slide2’s Limit Equilibrium Analysis and RS2’s Finite Element Analysis with Shear Strength Reduction method are both popular methods for slope stability analysis. Many engineers take an either-or approach towards which program they use to identify critical failure surfaces. However, there are many benefits to using both.
Simplified geometry creation and efficient verification of LEM and FEM results can provide you with the details you need for your projects, all while saving you time.
Build One Model, Not Two
Models that you build in Slide2 can be imported into RS2 and vice versa. In addition, as they share the same material library, material properties, supports, loads, and groundwater conditions are copied over with the geometry. The process of model transfer between these programs has been simplified to dedicated buttons for importing and exporting your files.
To import Slide2 files into RS2, you can select Import Slide2 file from your RS2 menu or simply drag and drop a Slide2 file from your computer into a blank RS2 project and it will open automatically.
To export a model created in RS2 for analysis in Slide2, use the Export Slide2 File button to create the file, and open it as you would any other file created in Slide2.
Verify your Results
The accuracy of your results is always dependent on the inputs. All this to say, you shouldn’t assume that any model is 100% correct. However, running the same analysis with LEM and FEM can provide a lot of insight. If your factor of safety in Slide2 matches your critical strength reduction factor in RS2 and you see the same failure surface and mechanism, you can have more confidence in the accuracy of your results.
For models which show different results between LEM and FEM, perhaps different modes of failure have been identified in Slide2 and RS2. If this is the case, your model is only built once saving you time and effort, and your engineering judgment will help you identify which method has provided the correct solution.
