Imperialistic Competitive Algorithm: A metaheuristic algorithm for locating the critical slip surface in 2-Dimensional soil slopes

• Stability of the non-homogenous soil slopes containing a band of weak soil layer.
• Imperialistic competitive algorithm (ICA) to locate critical failure surface for the first time.
• ICA yielded better results than previous methods.

In this study, Imperialistic Competitive Algorithm (ICA) is utilized for locating the critical failure surface and computing the factor of safety (FOS) in a slope stability analysis based on the limit equilibrium approach. The factor of safety relating to each trial slip surface is calculated using a simplified algorithm of the Morgenstern-Price method, which satisfies both the force and the moment equilibriums. General slip surface is considered non-circular in this study that is constituted by linking random straight lines. To explore the performance of the proposed algorithm, four benchmark test problems are analyzed. The results demonstrate that the present techniques can provide reliable, accurate and efficient solutions for locating the critical failure surface and relating FOS. Moreover, in contrast with previous studies the present algorithm could reach the lower value of FOS and reached more exact solutions.

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