Convex optimization problems inspired by geotechnical stability analysis

Abstract: This paper is motivated by the limit load, limit analysis and shear strength reduction methods, which are commonly employed in geotechnical stability analysis or similar applications. The aim is to make these methods more approachable by introducing a unified framework based on abstract convex optimization and its parametric studies. We establish suitable assumptions on the abstract problems that capture the selected features of these methods and facilitate rigorous theoretical investigation. Further, we propose continuation techniques tailored to the resulting parametric problem formulations and show that the developed abstract framework could also be useful outside the domain of geotechnical stability analysis. The main results are illustrated with analytical and numerical examples. The numerical example deals with a 3D slope stability problem.