Coming soon: Section 4 of the Slope Stability Reference Guide is nearing completion as an electronic document.

Hall, D.E.; Long, M.T.; Remboldt, M.D., editors. 1994. Slope Stability Reference Guide for National Forests in the United States. Prellwitz, R.W.; Koler, T.E.; and Steward, J.E., coordinators. Publication EM-7170-13. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service, Engineering Staff. 3 volumes, 1091 p.

The Slope Stability Reference Guide for National Forests in the United States, 1,091 pages in three volumes, covers stability of both soil and rock slopes. It was written by 23 authors, who are present or former Forest Service engineering geologists, geotechnical engineers and geomorphologists, as an attempt to capture the technical advancements made by the Forest Service over the past 25 years in predicting and analyzing slope behavior in mountainous terrain.

Volume I contains discussions on initial slope stability assessments, field investigation techniques, and case histories.

Volume II presents fundamental soil and rock mechanics and a thorough review of ground water fundamentals and principles as they relate to effective stress in stability analysis. Volume II also contains a section on the theory and derivations of limiting equilibrium analysis and the various methods used. Sample problems of soil and rock slope stability case histories are also included with solutions provded for both natural and constructed slopes using both probabilistic and deterministic methods.

Volume III contains a comprehensive evaluation of stabilization alternatives, decision analyses, and construction control methods used by the Forest Service, with step-by-step design examples and specifications; these include: cutoff trenches; horizontal drains; geocomposite drains; retaining structures; shear keys; reinforced fills; rock bolts and dowels; shotcrete; rockfall screening; and soil nailing.

Due to its wide coverage of the topic, the Slope Stability Guide is a useful reference for earth scientists and engineers at all technical skill levels. We expect to release the guide on-line at a future date.

The Guide (stock number 001-001-00655-6) was available from the U.S. Government Printing Office; it is now out of print.

It is also available in microform/microfiche at U.S. Government repository libraries.

A few corrections for the printed Slope Stability Reference Guide have been compiled.