Tutorial 9 Sensitivity Analysis

Cohesion, phi, unit weight

Seismic Sensitivity
Sampler option
Sensitivity vs. Probabilistic Analysis

Slide v.7.0 Tutorial Manual

Tutorial 9: Sensitivity Analysis

Introduction
Sensitivity analysis is extremely easy to perform with Slide. Any input parameter which can
be defined as a random variable (for a Probabilistic Analysis) can also be defined as a
variable for a Sensitivity Analysis.
A Sensitivity Analysis simply means the following:
1. For one or more selected input parameters, the user specifies a Minimum and a
Maximum value.
2. Each parameter is then varied in uniform increments, between the Minimum and
Maximum values, and the safety factor of the Global Minimum slip surface is
calculated at each value. NOTE: while a parameter is being varied, ALL OTHER input
parameters are held constant, at their MEAN values.
3. This results in a plot of safety factor versus the input parameter(s), and allows you
to determine the sensitivity of the safety factor, to changes in the input
parameter(s).
4. A steeply changing curve on a Sensitivity Plot, indicates that the safety factor is
sensitive to the value of the parameter.
5. A relatively flat curve indicates that the safety factor is not sensitive to the value
of the parameter.
A sensitivity analysis indicates which input parameters may be critical to the assessment of
slope stability, and which input parameters are less important.
A Sensitivity Plot can be used to determine the value of a parameter which corresponds to a
specified Factor of Safety (e.g. Factor of Safety = 1).
The finished product of this tutorial can be found in the Tutorial 09 Sensitivity Analysis.slim
data file. All tutorial files installed with Slide 7.0 can be accessed by selecting File > Recent
Folders > Tutorials Folder from the Slide main menu.

Model
We will start with the same example discussed in the previous tutorial.
Select File > Recent Folders > Tutorials Folder from the Slide main menu, and open the
Tutorial 08 Probabilistic Analysis.slim file.

Project Settings
To enable a Sensitivity Analysis with Slide, you must first select the Sensitivity Analysis
checkbox in Project Settings.
Select: Analysis Project Settings

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In the Project Settings dialog, select the Statistics page, and select the Sensitivity Analysis
checkbox. Clear the Probabilistic Analysis checkbox. Select OK.
NOTE:

You can perform BOTH a Sensitivity Analysis and a Probabilistic Analysis, at the
same time, using the same variables. This is discussed at the end of this tutorial.

However, for this example, we will just run the Sensitivity Analysis only.

Defining Sensitivity Variables

The procedure for selecting and defining variables for a Sensitivity Analysis, is exactly the
same as the procedure described in the previous tutorial, for a Probabilistic Analysis.
However, note that:

For a Sensitivity Analysis, ONLY a Minimum and Maximum value is required for each
variable.

A Statistical Distribution and Standard Deviation are NOT applicable for Sensitivity
Analysis.

Lets examine the Material Statistics dialog.

Select: Statistics Materials

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Tutorial 9: Sensitivity Analysis

Notice that the 3 variables which we defined previously for the Probabilistic Analysis
(Tutorial 08), are still displayed in the Material Statistics dialog.
Because we are only considering a Sensitivity Analysis, the statistical distribution and
standard deviation are no longer displayed in the dialog. Only the mean, minimum and
maximum values are necessary for the Sensitivity Analysis.
We will not make any changes to this data, so select OK or Cancel in the dialog.

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Tutorial 9: Sensitivity Analysis

Compute
Before we run the analysis, first save the file with a new file name: Tutorial 09.sli.
Select: File Save As
Use the Save As dialog to save the file. Now select Compute.
Select: Analysis Compute
NOTE:

When you run a Sensitivity Analysis with Slide, the regular (deterministic) analysis is
always computed first. This is necessary in order to determine the Global Minimum
slip surface. Remember that the Sensitivity Analysis is performed on the Global
Minimum slip surface.

The Sensitivity Analysis automatically follows. The progress of the analysis is

indicated in the Compute dialog. A Sensitivity Analysis usually only takes a very
small amount of time, so you may not even notice the calculation in the Compute
dialog.

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Tutorial 9: Sensitivity Analysis

Interpret
To view the results of the analysis:
Select: Analysis Interpret
The results of the Sensitivity Analysis are viewed by selecting the Sensitivity Plot option,
from the toolbar or the Statistics menu.
Select: Statistics Sensitivity Plot
You will see the following dialog.

Select the checkboxes for all 3 variables. TIP: you can use the Select All button to
automatically select all checkboxes. Select the Plot button.
You should see the following sensitivity plot.

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Tutorial 9: Sensitivity Analysis

Sensitivity Plot of 3 variables.

As you can see from the plot, the safety factor is most sensitive to the Friction Angle
(steepest curve), and least sensitive to the Unit Weight (curve is almost flat).
Note the following about the Sensitivity Plot:
1. When multiple variables are plotted, the horizontal axis of the plot is in terms of
Percent of Range.
2. Percent of Range = 0 represents the Minimum value of each variable, and Percent
of Range = 100 represents the Maximum value of each variable.
3. Notice that all 3 curves intersect at Percent of Range = 50%. Percent of Range = 50%
ALWAYS represents the MEAN value of each variable.
If you wish to see the actual value of a variable on the horizontal axis, then you must only
plot ONE Sensitivity variable at a time (only select ONE checkbox in the Sensitivity Plot
dialog). Lets do that now.
1. Right-click on the plot and select Change Plot Data from the popup menu.
2. Clear the checkboxes for Cohesion and Unit Weight, so that only Phi is selected.
Select Done.
The Sensitivity Plot now only displays the curve for Friction Angle. Notice that the Horizontal
Axis is now in terms of the actual unit of the variable (degrees).

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Tutorial 9: Sensitivity Analysis

Sampler
The Sampler option allows you to easily obtain the coordinates of any point on a Sensitivity
Plot curve.
1. Right-click on the plot and select the Sampler option.
2. Notice that a dotted cross-hair line is now displayed on the plot. This is the Sampler
and allows you to graphically obtain the coordinates along the curve.
3. As you move the mouse the Sampler will continuously display the coordinates of
the current location on the curve.
4. Use the Sampler to locate the point corresponding to Factor of Safety = 1 on the
sensitivity curve. The Friction Angle = 26.2 degrees. This is the critical Friction Angle,
if all other variables are assumed to be equal to their mean values.

Sampler display of friction angle for Factor of Safety = 1

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Tutorial 9: Sensitivity Analysis

Seismic Coefficient Sensitivity

Lets add one more Sensitivity Analysis variable, and re-run the analysis. Return to the Slide
Model program, and select the Seismic Load option from the Statistics menu.
Select: Statistics Seismic Load
1. In the dialog, select the checkbox for Horizontal Seismic Coefficient.
2. Enter a Mean Value = 0.1. Also enter Relative Minimum = 0.1 and Relative
Maximum = 0.1. Select OK.

3. When the Sensitivity Analysis is run, the Horizontal Seismic Coefficient will be varied
between 0 and 0.2. Select Compute to run the analysis, and then view the results in
Interpret.
4. Create a Sensitivity Plot (only select the checkbox for Horizontal Seismic
Coefficient).
5. Use the Sampler to determine the critical seismic coefficient. For a safety factor = 1
the horizontal seismic coefficient is approximately 0.067, as shown in the next
figure.

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Sensitivity Plot of Horizontal Seismic Coefficient.

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Tutorial 9: Sensitivity Analysis

Sensitivity and Probabilistic Analysis

A Sensitivity Analysis should not be confused with a Probabilistic Analysis. Remember:

A Sensitivity Analysis simply involves the variation of individual variables between

minimum and maximum values. A Sensitivity Analysis is performed on ONLY ONE
VARIABLE AT A TIME.

A Probabilistic Analysis involves the statistical sampling of distributions that you

have defined for your random variables. A Probabilistic Analysis uses sampled
values of ALL random variables, for each iteration of the Probabilistic Analysis.

However, you can perform BOTH a Sensitivity Analysis, AND a Probabilistic Analysis, at the
same time, by selecting both checkboxes in Project Settings.

If you do this, note the following:

The Sensitivity analysis will use the same variables that you have selected for the
Probabilistic Analysis.

The Sensitivity Analysis will only use the Minimum and Maximum values that you
have defined for each variable. It will ignore the statistical distributions and
standard deviations that you have entered to define the random variables for the
Probabilistic Analysis.

This is convenient, because if you have already performed a Probabilistic Analysis on a

model, then you can also perform a Sensitivity Analysis, using all of the same variables,
simply by selecting the Sensitivity Analysis checkbox in Project Settings.

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