Microcomputer-Aided Eva1uation
of Earthquake-induced
Permanent Slope Displacements
SANDRA L. HOUSTON, WILLIAM N. HOUSTON,
and 1. MANUEL PADILLA
Arizona State University
A geotechnical engineering microcomputer
program has been developed for the deter-
mination of permanent slope displacements result-
ing from earthquake shaking. The Newmark pro-
cedure, in which accelerations in excess of yield
accelerations are double integrated to obtain dis-
placements, has been incorporated into the pro-
gram DISPLMT. Several user options are available for
describing the yield acceleration function, includ-
ing variation with time and variation with displace-
ment. Screen graphics are available which allow
the user to observe the down slope movements of
the Newmark sliding block as they increase with
time during the simulated earthquake. DISPLMT has
been used to calculate the permanent movements
of an earth dam using acceleration-time histories
and soil shear stresses determined from a separate
analysis. Modification to the conventional New-
mark procedure, by introduction of a "slip layer,"
has been made in the analysis of a dam. Permanent
slope displacements can be analyzed using the rec-
ommended procedure, which involves fairly simple
computations that can be performed in a reason-
able period of time with the exclusive use of mi-
crocomputers.
INTRODUCTION
Approximately four methods of assessing seismic slope
stability are currently being used or are under study. The
most ideal of these analyses i s a two- or three-dimen-
sional finite-element analysis which employs a complex
and general constitutive model which i s capable of
Address corrcrpondcnce lo S ~ n d Lr ~H w r l o n . Asrirlanl Professor of Civil Ln-
gineerlng AriZOnJ SlJle University, Temp. AZ 85287
207
Microcomputers in C ~ v i Engmeering
l 2. 207-222 11987)
0 1987 flwvier k i e n c e PublishlnRCo , Inc 5 2 Vanderbtll Avenue 0885-9507/876150
quantifying both elastic recoverable and plastic per-
manent strains. The output from such an analysis in-
cludes stresses and strains as a function of time, displace-
ment versus time, and a description of the final deformed
shape of the slope. Although recent research activities
have been devoted to development of such an analysis
12, 61, it requires considerable run time on a mainframe
computer, and it i s probably beyond the state-of-the-
practice at the present time. The most simplified ap-
proach would be a pseudo-static analysis, in which an
"equivalent" static force i s applied to the slope, and a
factor of safety i s determined. This type of analysis pro-
vides no information on permanent movements, which
is one of the most important pieces of information in
assessing the safety of an embankment or earth dam
against earthquake shaking. Another technique which
has been used recently i s to perform a static analysis
"after the earthquake" using post-earthquake shear
strengths, which are less than static strength values 111.
This method also provides no information on the per-
manent slope displacements due to ground shaking.
Probably the most frequently used technique for com-
puting earthquake-induced slope displacements is the
Newmark method of double intergration of the "excess"
accelerations 131. The assumption is made that only the
permanent strains are of interest, or that all strains which
occur prior to the point when the dynamic stress equals
the dynamic strength of the soil are negligible.
First, the slope i s modeled using the sliding block
analogy as shown in Figure 1 . When the acceleration of
the block is such that the frictional sliding resistance is
just overcome, the factor of safety against sliding equals
one, and the acceleration is said to equal the yield ac-
celeration, a,. The corresponding point for the real slope
is when the acceleration is just large enough to drive the
factor of safety to one. Using a slope stability program
which employs seismic coefficients, the coefficient
208 5. L HOUSTON E l AL
I l,.\VIl
o(t)
//L\k
FIGURE 1. The sliding block analogy.
which brings the factor of safety to one can be deter-
mined. This coefficient is the yield acceleration. A dy-
namic response analysis is then performed, and the ac-
celeration-time histories at points along the “critical slip
surface“ are determined. A representative time history
is typically scaled so that the maximum acceleration is
equal to the average value of several points along the
potential slip surface. The accelerations in excess of the
yield acceleration are then double integrated to get dis-
placements.
Microcomputer slope stability programs are available
which can be used to obtain the seismic coefficient re-
quired to bring the slope to a factor of safety of one.
Acceleration-time histories which are representative for
the slope can be obtained using a two-dimensional fi-
nite-element analysis, or approximated using a series of
onedimensional site response analyses. Microcomputer
programs for onedimensional site response analyses are
also available. Of course, if the site response analysis i s
sufficiently complex and complete so as to include per-
manent strains as output, the Newmark method would
not be required. Probably the most commonly used pro-
gram for the site response analysis is a wave propagation
program called “SHAKE” [71, which does not provide per-
manent strains as output.
DISPLMT, developed as a part of this study, can be used
to perform the double integration of the accelerations in
excess of the yield acceleration. Thus, the evaluation of
the permanent slope displacement resulting from earth-
quake shaking can be made using only microcomputer
computations and the relatively simple procedure de-
scribed below.
RECOMMENDED PROCEDURE
When the “sliding block on an inclined plane” analogy
is applied to a potential landslide, as depicted in Figure
2, a number of difficulties arise. First, the slip surface
(shear zone) may be curved rather than planar. How-
ever, the problems to which this analogy are usually
applied typically involve slip surfaces without severe
curvature and with relatively gentle slopes, which may
be represented by a noncircular slip surface as shown
in Figure 2.
Secondly, the block and the base are both rigid,
whereas neither the sliding wedge nor the material
below it in Figure 2 are rigid. The lack of rigidity in the
real soil profile comes into play when the dynamic re-
sponse of the soil column to an earthquake i s calculated
131. This calculation will be discussed shortly. First,
however, the computation of the static factor of safety,
FS,,,,,, and the yield acceleration, a,, for the sliding
wedge in Figure 2 will be addressed.
The static factor of safety is defined as the ratio of the
maximum available shearing resistance between base
and block to the shearing resistance between base and
block required for equilibrium when the base is not shak-
ing. If this static factor of safety is greater than one, then
the block does not slide for “static” conditions.
The yield acceleration i s computed by performing a
pseudo-static slope stability analysis in which the entire
sliding wedge is indeed assumed to be rigid-or at least
the “slices” are assumed rigid. Each and every slice is
assumed to experience the same acceleration at the
same time. This inertial force i s added vectorially to the
gravitational forces and the factor of safety is computed.
The acceleration applied to all slices is varied by trial
and error until the computed factor of safety is one. The
corresponding acceleration i s a,. In general, a, would
not be constant, but would vary with time or displace-
ment. This i s because the shearing resistance of the soil,
which relates directly to a, may decrease with time due
to the damaging effects of the shaking. The yield ac-
celeration i s likely to begin at the value of a, corre-
sponding to the static soil strength, and end with the
value of a, corresponding to the post-earthquake
strength. Alternatively, it would be reasonable to allow
variation of the yield acceleration as a function of dis-
placement. Both of these options, as well as constant
yield acceleration, can be selected in DISPLMT.
Usually, only the downslope value of a, is computed.
However, the upslope component i s also required for
this analysis of permanent slope movements. The up-
slope component of a, can be computed using the static
FIGURE 2. Typical slope failure to which block analogy IS ap-
plied.
QI
Q I
QI
VO1 2 , N O 3, SEPT€MB€R 1987
factor of safety and the downslope component of a,,
1.e..
Maximum available shearing resistance
(FSLaUc =
Shearing resistance needed for ’
static equilibrium
(dvhow- =
(Maximum available
shearing resistanceI-( Shearing resistance
needed for static
equilibrium
Mass of the block
WwmW =
(Maximum available
shearing resistanceI+( equilibrium
Mars of the block
i,
Shearing resistance
needed for static
Upon rearranging and combining these three equations,
it can be found that the ratio of the downslope value to
the upslope value of a, is equal to (F5staiuc - 1 )/(f5,faf,c
+ 1).
The dynamic response of the soil slope to an earth-
quake motion imposed at “bedrock” (point R in Figure
2 ) can best be computed by a twodimensional finite-
element analysis. A number of comparisons have
shown, however, that a satisfactory approximation can
be obtained by using one-dimensional wave propaga-
tion programs [7, 91. A series of three profiles are ana-
lyzed, one near the crest, one near the center, and one
near the toe of the potential sliding wedge. Examples
are shown as profiles 1, 2, and 3 in Figure 2. The results
are then averaged in order to obtain a response which
i s quite close to the average response that would have
been obtained from a two-dimensional finite-element
analysis in terms of acceleration-time history. The input
motions at point R propagate upward towards points A,
B 3 , B 2 , and 8,.They may be either amplified or atten-
uated, but they are, in general, modified as they prop-
agate upward.
For typical earthquakes and typical soil profiles, the
elastic strains are moderately small and the computed
maximum accelerations at points B , , B 2 , and 8 , in Fig-
ure 2 will often exceed a,. In fact, if these accelerations
did not exceed a, then no problem with seismic stability
would exist. As cited earlier, a problem does arise when
the calculated accelerations exceed a,. In the “sliding
block on an inclined plane” model that i s being utilized,
the acceleration in the block or the sliding wedge can
never exceed a, because movements would occur.
Therefore, computed accelerations above a, in the slid-
ing wedge are inconsistent with the model being em-
ployed.
In order to avoid this inconsistency, it is necessary to
introduce a “slip layer” with ”softened” properties at
the location of the shear zone. The properties of the ”slip
layer” are varied by trial and error until the average max-
imum acceleration at points B 1 , B 2 , and B 3 is approx-
imately equal to a,. When this convergence is achieved,
then the corresponding acceleration-time history at
point A (just below the ”slip layer”) can be compared
EARTHQUAKE INDUCED SLOPE DISPLACEMENTS 209
to a, and the “excess” accelerations double integrated
to obtain a permanent movement estimate for profile 2,
in Figure 2. Without the introduction of such a slip layer,
dynamic response programs, such as SHAKE 171, would
predict accelerations within the sliding mass which are
in excess of the yield acceleration. Perhaps more im-
portantly, the acceleration-time history at point A may
depend somewhat on whether or not a “slip layer” that
prevents the acceleration of the block from exceeding
a, i s present. This is because the acceleration-time his-
tory at any point will depend on how much energy is
being dissipated in the vicinity of the point. Therefore,
in order to get the best estimate of the acceleration-time
history at point A (when amJIwithin the wedge is es-
sentially equal to a,) the ”slip layer” should be present.
Similar movement estimates can be made for profiles
1 and 3 and then an average movement can be calcu-
lated. Although the average i s probably the ”best esti-
mate,” the average as well as the maximum should be
reported. These movement computations can readily be
made with a computer program such as DISPLMT.
It should be noted that the sliding block model does
not apply perfectly to the landslide problem. In fact, in
view of the various approximations required, it probably
should be viewed as a tool to assist the engineer in de-
ciding whether the probable slope movement is: (1) a
fraction of an inch, or ( 2 ) a few inches, or (3) a few feet.
This level of distinction i s usually adequate to enable an
engineering or management decision. The computa-
tional method cannot be used to realistically distinguish
between 0.33 feet and 0 . 5 7 feet, for example. However,
such a distinction i s often made during the analysis stage
in order to evaluate parameter sensitivity.
PROGRAM DISPLMT
DISPLMT i s a FORTRAN microcomputer program which cal-
culates permanent slope displacements resulting from
earthquake shaking. The Newmark method, in which
accelerations in excess of yield accelerations are double
integrated to obtain displacements, has been incorpo-
rated into DISPLMT. The inputs to the program are the
static factor of safety, the yield acceleration, and the
acceleration-time history at the point along the slip sur-
face which is being evaluated. Three options for spec-
ifying the yield acceleration function are available to the
user.
1. Constant yield acceleration throughout the earth-
quake.
2. A yield acceleration function which varies as a func-
tion of time. The variation i s prescribed by the user.
3. A yield acceleration function which varies as a func-
tion of the computed permanent displacement. The
variation is prescribed by the user.
Program outputs consist of a table of the maximum
velocity and final permanent displacement or a table
210 5. L. HOUSTON ET AL.
containing the entire velocity and displacement history.
In addition, screen graphics are available which allow
the user to observe the movement of the sliding block
as it progresses throughout the computation. Also plot-
ted are the acceleration-time history and the yield ac-
celeration versus time. Screen graphics have been ac-
complished using a graphics kernel software package,
which is a set of.subroutines written in assembly lan-
guage that can be called from FORTRAN. A listing of the
program, which includes general input instructions, has
been included in Appendix II to this paper.
The “excess” accelerations are double integrated in
OISPLMT to obtain the permanent displacement of the
slope. Figure 3 shows a sketch of a yield function which
varies linearly with time from the computed yield ac-
celeration, using pre-earthquake soil strength param-
eters, to the yield acceleration computed using post-
earthquake soil strength parameters. The trapezoidal
method, a simple numerical integration scheme, is used
to perform the integration. The interval from the initial
time of zero to the desired final time, 11, is subdivided
and the areas of the trapezoids (shown in Figure 3) are
summed to obtain an estimate of the area under the ”ex-
cess” acceleration curve. Only the contributions to the
integral which fall above the yield acceleration line are
included in the summation. The corresponding velocity
curve i s then integrated using the trapezoidal rule to
obtain an estimate of the permanent slope displace-
ments. The error in the computation described above is,
of course, reduced by decreasing the time step used in
describing the acceleration-time record.
The time interval for computation of the area under
the acceleration curve is normally taken as the time step
between the given data points of the acceleration-time
history. However,, when there are consecutive accel-
ay ( t DOWNSLOPE
PRE- EARTH-
WAKE (a
- I- - w
-__------ - - _ - - -- - - - -
L
Y ( 1 ) UPSLOPE
CONTRIBUTION TO THE S W A T I O N
MICROCOMPUTERS IN CfVlL ENClNEERlNC
eration values above and below the yield acceleration
line, that particular time interval is subdivided so that
two time intervals are generated in which the acceler-
ation record i s either entirely above the yield acceler-
ation, or entirely below the yield acceleration line. If
this subdivision i s not made then the computed dis-
placement would be over estimated. Thus, not all time
intervals used in the computation are the same, as is the
usual practice in implementing the trapezoidal rule.
To specib an arbitrary yield acceleration as a function
of time or displacement, the user must input a series of
values of yield acceleration and time or yield acceler-
ation and displacement. The yield accelerations be-
tween specified values are obtained by linear interpo-
lation.
Figure 4 shows the DISPLMT program flowchart. The
input data is read first. Since only the downslope yield
acceleration is given, the program computes the ratio of
to (a,)dovn,lop using the static factor of safety
so that the upslope yield acceleration can be computed
at any later time.
After setting the variables to their initial values and
setting up the graphical display, the main loop for com-
puting permanent slope displacements begins. First,
time is increment4 by At. Then (av)down,lop is deter-
mined using the actual time or actual displacement, de-
pending on the given function as prescribed in the input
data. The value is also computed. Negative
accelerations, velocities, and displacements are up-
slope.
Next, the program checks for any downslope move-
ments. If the ground response acceleration, a([), is
greater than (a,)downrlop, or the initial velocity for this
interval is greater than zero, then there is downslope
movement. If there i s movement, then the program calls
FIGURE 3. Numerical integrationof the acceleration-time his-
tory.
y) POST-EARTHOUAKE
 (n;ur)

VRITL MSUT

lm I

E 4. Flowchart for program OISPLMT

212 5. L. HOUSTON E l AL.
a subroutine to compute the values of velocity and dis-
placement. In this subroutine, the actual double inte-
gration is performed. Before double integrating the "ex-
cess" accelerations, the program checks for a need for
subdividing the original time interval, At.
If there is no downslope movement, then a check is
made for upslope movement. If the ground response ac-
celeration, a ( [ ) , exceeds ( a , ) , , , , ~ or
~ ~ if the initial ve-
locity for this interval is less than zero then there is an
upslope movement. Again, if there is movement, the
program calls the subroutine to compute velocity and
displacement.
At the end of this main loop, the graphic screen is
updated with the new values of displacement and ac-
celerations. The analog block is moved to the new dis-
placed value. This is done by first erasing the block at
its original position and then plotting it at the new com-
puted position. The original position of the block is
shown in all cases by a dashed outline. Time, 1, is in-
cremented by A t and the main loop is entered again.
When the final time is reached, the acceleration-time
history i s reversed by changing the sign to each one of
its values and the process previously described is per-
formed again for the reverse earthquake. This reversal
is done in case the input acceleration-time history is
significantly unsymmetrical.
It is generally assumed that both the first run and the
reversal run are of equal validity. The two runs are used
to indicate the probable range in results.
IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOMMENDED
PROCEDURE TO AN EARTH DAM
An existing earth dam was recently enlarged for the pur-
poses of improving flood control. The original earth dam
was approximately 650 feet long at the crest and about
79 feet above the original ground surface. The enlarge-
ment raised the dam 8 feet in height. The dam is located
in a small valley with a 45-ft. layer of alluvium overlying
bedrock. It is in a region of seismic activity, in which
several major earthquakes have occurred within about
50 miles of the dam, ranging from a Richter magnitude
of 8.3-5.8 over the past 80 years or so. Several major
faults are located from 10 to 40 miles of the site, and
several small inactive faults and shear zones are present
in the area near the dam. . sections along the slope using SHAKE, which incorporated
The recommended procedure, described in the pre-
vious sections, was used in conjunction with the newly
developed microcomputer program, DISRMT, to estimate
the permanent slope displacements of the earth dam
using the Newmark method of double integrating the
excess accelerations. The critical noncircular slip sur-
faces which were analyzed for the upstream and down-
stream slopes of the dam are shown in Figures 5 and 6,
respectively.
MICROCOMPUTERS IN CIVIL ENCIN€€RINC
The design earthquake for the seismic response com-
putations was an 8.25 Richter magnitude. Because there
are no available measured records for earthquakes of
this magnitude, the synthetic "Seed-ldriss" record was
used as the input motion.
DOWNSTREAM SLOPE ANALYSIS
The critical slip surface for the downstream slope and
static loading conditions, as shown in Figure 6, was non-
circular. The static factor of safety of 1.37 was deter-
mined using the Morgenstern and Price method and the
microcomputer program TSLOPE 1101. The yield accel-
eration, using pre-earthquake soil parameters, was also
determined using the pseudo-static method in TSLOPE.
The yield acceleration for the critical slip surface was
0.14 g, which was assumed to remain constant through-
out the earthquake shaking. The yield acceleration is
computed as the acceleration which brings the slope to
a factor of safety of 1 .O.
The procedure used in the computation of permanent
slope displacement utilizes one-dimensional seismic re-
sponse analyses to obtain the acceleration-time histo-
ries which are input into DISPLMT. The "average" accel-
eration-time history from the onedimensional analysis,
which can be obtained using microcomputer versions
of programs such as SHAKE, is typically very close to that
which i s obtained using the more complex two-dimen-
sional site response analyses performed using finite-ele-
ment programs on a mainframe computer. This has been
verified by the authors for several different soil profiles
and slope geometries.
In the analysis of the downstream slope of the earth
dam, acceleration-time histories were computed for
several soil profiles within the sliding mass. Accelera-
tion-time histories were obtained for vertical soil pro-
files corresponding to slices 1, 5, and 10, shown in Fig-
ure 6 . According to the recommended procedure,
discussed previously, a "softened layer" was introduced
at the elevation correspondingto the critical slip surface
in performing the seismic response computations. The
acceleration-time histories for points immediately
below the shear zone were then input into DISPLMT for
the purposes of computing permanent displacements.
Acceleration-time histories were obtained at the three
an equivalent linear soil modulus.
Using the constant yield acceleration assumption, the
permanent slope displacements were estimated using
DISPLMT. For the soil profile corresponding to slice 1 of
the downstream slope, the maximum permanent defor-
mation was 0.07 ft. downslope. The maximum accel-
eration in the acceleration-time history for slice 1 was
0.253 g. The middle of the slope, slice number 5, re-
sulted in a maximum downslope movement of 0.27 ft.
VOL 2 . N O 3 . S € P T € M B € R 1987 EARTHQUAKE INDUCED SLOPE DISPLACEMENTS 21 3

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VOL 2 , N O 3, SEPTCMBER 1987 EARTHQUAKE INDUCED SLOPE DISPLACEMENTS 21 5

TABLE 1 EFFECTS O F SLIP LAYER

Downstream
Maximum
Acceleration at Base
of Wedge
With Slip Without
a, Layer Slip Layer
Profile (g) (g) (g)
Slice 1 0.253 0.202

mllmih
r....
Slice 5 0.14 0.328 0.256
Slice 10 0.437 0.273
Upstream
~

Maximum
Acceleration at Ease
I of Wedge
With Slip Without
FIGURE 7. Graphical output from OISPLMT showing down- a, Layer Slip Layer
stream slope movements. Profile (g) (g) (g)
Slice 1 - 0.253
for a maximum acceleration of 0.328 g. The profile at Slice 8 0.25 0.372 0.273
the bottom of the slope, slice 10, resulted in a maximum Slice 14 - 0.252
downslope movemept of 0 . 8 5 ft. for a maximum ac-
celeration of 0 . 4 3 7 g>,
M d r n r cwrnpondcncc 10 Sandra L Hwrton. AssisIan1 P r d n m of Civil En-
The average value of the permanent downslope dis- glnming. Arizona SlaIe Univcniw. Tempe. A2 85287
placement for the three profiles is probably the best es-
timate for the slope, because the rigid block assumption time histories for points immediately below the slip sur-
requires that the displacements be equal for the entire face were used to obtain "representative" acceleration-
slope. Therefore, the average permanent downslope dis- time histories for input into DISPLMT.
placement for the downstream slope of the earth dam A constant yield acceleration was assumed for the
was estimated to be about 0 . 3 ft. However, it i s consid- DISPLMT computations for the earth dam. For the soil pro-
ered good practice to report the. maximum calculated file corresponding to slice 8, the maximum downslope
value as well. deformation was 0.035 ft. For slices 1 and 14, the max-
The graphical output from program DISPLMT is shown imum accelerations computed from the onedimen-
in Figure 7 for the downstream slope computations for sional seismic analysis did not exceed the yield accel-
the profile corresponding to slice 5 in the center of the eration (0.246 g), and therefore no displacements were
critical sliding mass. An interval of the acceleration- computed.
time history and the yield acceleration as a function of The graphic output from DISPLMT for the slice 8 profile
time are shown along with the "moving block" in the is shown in Figure 8. The graphic output includes the
output.
FIGURE 8. Graphical output from OISPLMT showing upstream
UPSTREAM SLOPE ANALYSES slope movements.

A static slope stability analysis was performed on the

upstream slope of the dam using the microcomputer pro-
gram TSLOPE. The static factor of safety was found to be
2.17 for the critical noncircular slip surface, add the
yield acceleration, using pre-earthquake strength values,
was found to be 0.25 g.
Acceleration-time histories were computed for sev-
eral soil profiles within the sliding mass. In the upstream
slope analysis, profiles corresponding to slice numbers
1 , 8, and 14 were used in the one-dimensional site re-
sponse computations to determine the range of accel-
eration-time histories for the slope. In performing the
one-dimensional seismic analyses, a softened layer was
introduced in the vicinity of the "critical" slip surface.
Using the recommended procedure, the acceleration- 1.11
216 5. L. HOUSTON ET AL.
"moving" block, as well as the plot of an interval of the
acceleration-time history and yield acceleration.
The effect of introducing the slip layer with softened
properties is summarized in Table 1 for both the u p
stream and downstream slopes. For this particular anal-
ysis, the average maximum acceleration at the base of
the sliding mass is greater by about 35% when the layer
with softened properties is introduced. This will lead to
larger permanent slope displacements than for the case
where no slip layer was incorporated in the seismic re-
sponse analysis. In general, it would be expected that
the acceleration at the base of the sliding mass would
be a function of the slip layer properties because the
dissipation of energy and the amount of strain depend
on the slip layer properties. The 35% increase in max-
imum acceleration observed is for this particular earth
dam, and the difference in acceleration with and without
the slip layer would be dependent upon the particular
soil profile under study.
SUMMARY
Modifications to the conventional Newmark sliding
block procedure for the determination of permanent
slope displacements resulting from earthquake shaking
were presented. Following the recommended procedure
for estimatingpermanent slope displacements, the entire
analysis can be performed with microcomputer facilities
alone. The proposed method introduces a layer with
softened properties at the location of the shear zone for
the computation of the seismic ground response. This
"slip layer" prevents the calculated accelerations within
the slope from exceeding the yield acceleration, a con-
dition which is inconsistent with the sliding block anal-
ogy. The computed seismic ground acceleration-time
response just below the slip layer acceleration is then
double integrated to obtain the permanent displace-
ments of the slope.
A microcomputer program has been developed to
double integrate the seismic ground response for deter-
mining the permanent slope displacements. The pro-
gram allows the yield acceleration to be a function of
time or displacement. Graphical output from the com-
puter program DISPLMT allows the user to observe the
downslope movements of the sliding block as they in-
crease each time the yield acceleration is exceeded.
The recommended procedure was used to estimate
the permanent slope displacements of an earth dam. A
onedimensional microcomputer analysis using an
equivalent.linear soil model was used for computing the
acceleration-time history at three representativeprofiles
MICROCOMPUTLRS IN CIVIL LNCINEERlNC
along the slope. DISPLMTwas then used to calculate the
permanent downslope movements.
The authors would like to thank the firm of Lee and
Praszker of San Francisco, California, for their support
in this study.
REFERENCES
1. Castro, C., Povlos, S.J., and Leathers, F.D., Reexarni-
nation of slide of Lower San Fernando Dam. lournal of
Ceotechnical Engineering, 3(9):1093-1107 (1985).
2. Daddazio, R.P., Ettouney, M.M., and Sandler, I.S.,
Nonlinear dynamic slope stability analyses. lournal
of the Soil Mechanics and Foundation Division
1 13(SM3):285-298(1987).
3. Lin, Jeen-Shang and Whitman, R.V., Earthquake-in-
duced displacements of sliding blocks. lournal of Ceo-
technical Engineering 1 1 2(1):44-59(1 986).
4. Makdisi, F.I. and Seed, H.B., Simplified procedure for
estimating dam and embankment earthquake-induced
deformations. Journal of the Ceotechnical Engineering
Division, Proceedings of the American Society of Civil
Engineers, Vol. 104, No. CT7, July, 1978.
5. Newmark, N.M., E f f m of earthquakes on dams and
embankments. Ceotechnique 132):139-1 60 (1 965).
6. Prevost, J.H., Abdel-Chaffar, A.M., and Lacy, S.J., Non-
linear dynamic analyses of an earth dam. lournal olCeo-
technical Engineering 111 (7):882-897(1985).
7. Schnabel, P.B., Lysmer, I., and seed, H.B., SHAKE-A
computer program for earthquake response analysis of
horizontally layered soil$. Report No. EERC 72-12,Uni-
versity of California, Berkeley, December 1972.
8. Seed, H.B., and Martin, C.R., The seismic coefficient in
earth dam design. lournal of the sod Mechanics and
Foundation Division 92(SM3):25-58(1 976).
9. rrssl-A computer program for nonlinear ground re-
sponse analysis. TACA Engineering Softward Services,
Berkeley, California, 1985.
10. rsiom-Computer program for limit equilibrium slope sta-
bility analyses. TACA Engineering Software Services,
Berkeley, California, 1984.
APPENDIX I-NOTATION
a = acceleration
a, = yield acceleration
a ( t ) = acceleration-time history
FS = factor of safety
p = effective vertical stress
5, = undrained shear strength
Ar = time interval
4 = friction angle
 APPENDI” !!--PROCRAM LISTING

C
C C. H o l d Accolormtlon Dmtm
C
C 1lr.t llM

? r o q r u DIS?UCI cmlculmtom th. permmmnt dlmplmcount durlng

mn omrthqumkm.
C
C
C
C
C
cwc
1
1
J
--- ?OR IcI1IQ, 01 Y I E U , ACC.
11.16 Acc. l m Conmtmnt
IMVT
Ylold ACC. c h m n w m u l t h 1 1 -
Yield Acc. chmngom ulth Dlmploc-nt
I t l m mrmmlly u o d ma part of th. W m m r k procoduro In C
rhlch mccolormtlonm ln oxcomm of th. ylold occmlorotlon arm doublo C
lntogrmtod to obtmln dlmplmca-ontm. C hCOnd IlM
C
T h m lnput to tha p r o q r u 1 m Un mtmtlc fmctor of mmfmty. tho C I. I f Ylold Acc. l m Conmtmnt. ontor:
ylold mccolormtlon. and tho mccmlormtlon t l w hlmtory. On. of C
throe optlonm u y k chommn for UN ylmld occolmrmtion. C YIELD AOCtUMTlON (ln g ’ m )
C
(1) Conmtmnt ylmld mccolorotlon throughout th. mmrthqumho C
C 1. I f Y i m l d Acc. chmnqom rlth T l w . ontor:
(2) A ylold occolormtlon rhlch vmrlmm functlon of t l u C
- vmrlmtlon to k promcrlbd by t h m umor. C
C
M I I U R O? rolrn Dc?lWIffi YIELD ACC. ( m m n I N loo
(3) A ylold mccolormtlon rhlch vmrlom mm functlon of C on Nbmoquu.nt llnom
dlmplmcount -vmrlmtloo to k promcrlbd by tho ummr. C
C llla
C
C YIELD ACCtL.CRATIO)( (In g ’ a )
hnorml Input lnmtructlonm C On0 1 l M for each pmlr Of vmluom
.......................... C
C
Tho lnput 1. fro. format* it l m unnocommmry to ontor tho data In C 3. If Ylold Acc. chmngom rlth D1Dplmc.unt. ontor,
portlculmr C O I ~ ~ D .M r b . r m mro typod on. aftor onothor. moparmtod C
by O M or moro blmnhm. or by c-m. Declmol polntm n o d only k C MlgcI 01 ?OIwTS DCtlWlffi YIELD ACC. ( r m x l u r 100
typod for m n h e r m hmvlng frmctlonal part.. mm J2.2 or 0.01. BlmnhB C
C on oubmoquont Ilnom
umlnq c-mm
nmro.
am dollmltorm ln rhlch cmmo ..
mro not 1ntorprot.d mo soroom. ZEROES WST DL -?ED unlomm you mro
r l l l k lntorprmtod mm C
C ABsroUm V A W t 01 DIS?UCPIEHT (In tho unltm balnq
C
C YIILD ACCELCMTlON (ln q ’ m )
C Om I l M for each pmlr of vmluom
C
C
C D. T l w hlmtory dmtm control.
C
C Ilrmt llno
C
C T I M INTERVAL. DT (ln mocondm)
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
 APPENDIX Il-continued

C
C
C kcond llm
C 90
C DESIRED W 1 m M ACCCLCMTlON I N IWVT Tllll IllSToaY (In q ' m )
C ume t h l m optlon to ~ c m l eth. Input record. 100
C ractor = ( A UI. domirod) / ( A u m . hlmtory)
C A(n) = A (n) rector 101
C (If A UI. doalred I m mot = 0. then Factor = 1 rlll k
C u a d . and tho lnput accmlmratlon t l w hlmtory rlll k uamd
C dlroctly without mcmllng) 110
C 111
C STATIC FAcroll OC MteTI
C 120
C 121
C C. Accmlmrmtlon T l w Hlmtory 130
C
C rlrmt mnd mubmoquent llnmm
-
r 140
141
C ACCLURATION VALUES (In q ' m )
C 0 vmluem on mach llno 150
C

10
20
30
40

50

60
70
VOl 2 , NO 3 , SEPTEMBER 1987 EARTHQUAKE INDUCED SLOPE DISPLACEMENTS 21 9
s
.
0
a
L.
e
E3
.
P
8
N
8
s CI
f
oo o
8 8 2
UoaooNN
5 1 N8 U ~n8 n
N
8
P
Y
3
n
F
I 8
8n i1
8 \
>
s
 APPENDIX Il-continued

350

PP
C
C
~ R O V T I W CQtlolov(DT. Aco. Ac. vo. m.DN )
I?(w.m.o.o.ol.Ac.u.o.o)CoTO n o
X-DT~AC/(AL-MO)
VN-X. Ac/z .
Iln=VI(.
- .-
x/z .0
unmJ4
110 1?(U.LT.O.O.O(I.AtO.LT.O.O)OOTO 130
vN-M*DT IAc*ALO)/Z.
Dltm*(rn*vO)/l.
unmn
130 I f ( A C . ~ . O . O . o l . A C O . U . O . O ] ~ 140
xlrDTAco/(AEo-u]
xz-DT-It1

140

150

160
1V J
Y19
Y79
YI 0
Y19
Yi e
Y10
YI 9
A'10
1V J
1V J
4
 APPENDIX Il-continued

CAU UIMS(T1 . T W 1 I
CALL )(DyMS(TO.YLovol
CALL U(MS(Tl.YW11
Y ~ T I D D l
Yunm-Yw)l
C plot accoloratlona
CAU -(1)
Al-A( W I
CAU WOVMS(YU.AO1
CALL UIMS(Tl.Al1
C update lnltlal valuea
YLDDoIYlJmI
Yunm-YWl
rolrl
AO-A 1

C ?lot block movnont

CALL 8cNIC(0..0..1..1..-1.-11
CAU .mol(O..l99..639..0.)
XI-405. D(M)/DILIUX
Yl-129. x1 6 .09
x1-)0*150.
CALL S r n ~ ( 1 )
CALL )*IVMS(XO.YO)
CALL ?OLYU(UIU(l).BUY(1).41
CALL )*IVM8(Xl,Yl)
CALL .OLYU( uU(1 I . B U Y ( 1 I . 4I
xo-Xl