154 Wedge failure
In addition, equations are presented that can be
used to calculate the factor of safety of wedges
where the shear strength on the two slide planes
is defined by cohesion and friction angle, and
each plane can have different shear strengths. The
analysis can also incorporate water pressure.
The presence of a tension crack, and the influ-
ence of external forces due to water pressures,
tensioned anchors, seismic accelerations or bridge
foundations results in a significant increase in
the complexity of the equations. Appendix III
presents the complete solution for the wedge
analysis.
7.2 Definition of wedge geometry
Typical wedge failures illustrated in Figures 7.1
and 7.2 show the conditions that are normally
assumed for the analytical treatment of wedges.
Figure 7.1 shows a cut slope where a wedge is
formed by two continuous, planar discontinu-
ities and the line of intersection of these two
planes daylights just at the toe of the rock face.
That is, the trend of the line of intersection and
the dip direction of the face are approximately
equal. Furthermore, the plunge of the line of
intersection is about 5055 , while the friction
angle of these joints is in the range of 3540 .
That is, the line of intersection dips steeper than
the friction angle. These conditions meet the kin-
ematic requirements for failure of the wedge.
Figure 7.1 also illustrates how a slight change in
the site conditions would result in a stable slope.
For example, if the line of intersection had been
slightly behind the face, or just one of the joints
had been discontinuous, then no failure would
have occurred.
The wedge in Figure 7.2 is formed by bedding
on the left and a conjugate joint set on the right.
As in Figure 7.1, the line of intersection daylights
in the slope face and failure occurred. However,
in this wedge, sliding occurred almost entirely on
the bedding with the joint acting as a release sur-
face. Therefore, the shear strength of the joint has
little effect on stability.
The geometry of the wedge for analyzing the
basic mechanics of sliding is defined in Figure 7.3.
Based on this geometry, the general conditions for
wedge failure are as follows:
1 Two planes will always intersect in a line
(Figure 7.3(a)). On the stereonet, the line of
Figure 7.2 Wedge formed by
bedding (left) and a conjugate
joint set (right); sliding
occurred on bedding with
joints acting as a release
surface (bedded shale, near
Helena, Montana).
 Wedge failure 155

(a) (b)

Line of Face
intersection N Plane A
Wedge

Plane B
Face

Direction of
!fi !i "
sliding
Note: The convention adopted in this
analysis is that the flatter plane is always
referred to as Plane A.

(c) (d) N
Line of intersection Plane A
Plane B
Plane B Face
i

Plane A

i
!fi !i "
Range of i for sliding

Figure 7.3 Geometric conditions for wedge failure: (a) pictorial view of wedge failure; (b) stereoplot showing
the orientation of the line of intersection, and the range of the plunge of the line of intersection i where failure
is feasible; (c) view of slope at right angles to the line of intersection; (d) stereonet showing the range in the
trend of the line of intersection i where wedge failure is feasible.

intersection is represented by the point where
the two great circles of the planes intersect,
and the orientation of the line is defined by its
trend (i ) and its plunge (i ) (Figure 7.3(b)).
2 The plunge of the line of intersection must be
flatter than the dip of the face, and steeper
than the average friction angle of the two slide
planes, that is fi > i > (Figure 7.3(b)
and (c)). The inclination of the slope face fi is
measured in the view at right angles to the line
of intersection. Note the fi would only be the
same as f , the true dip of the slope face, if the
dip direction of the line of intersection were
the same as the dip direction of the slope face.
3 The line of intersection must dip in a direction
out of the face for sliding to be feasible; the
possible range in the trend of the line of inter-
section is between i and !i (Figure 7.3(d)).
In general, sliding may occur if the intersec-
tion point between the two great circles of the
sliding planes lies within the shaded area on
Figure 7.3(b). That is, the stereonet will show if
wedge failure is kinematically feasible. However,