SLOPE/D.E.M.

With this method, the soil is modeled as a series of discrete elements, which we will call "slices", and takes into account the mutual compatibility between the slices. A slope in the present model is treated as comprised of slices that are connected by elastoplastic Winkler springs. One set of springs is in the normal direction to simulate the normal stiffness. The other set is in the shear direction to simulate the sliding resistance at the interface. The behavior of the normal and shear springs is elastoplastic. The normal springs do not yield in compression, but they yield in tension, with a small tensile capacity for cohesive soil (tension cutoff) and no tensile capacity for frictional soil.