Putting back berm on the soft soil foundation is a method of ensuring the stability of the embankment or dam. The limit equilibrium method is commonly used to analyze the stability of embankment or dam with back berm

but there exists a difference between the results and the critical slope surface exist a difference according to the limit equilibrium method and its real value. In this paper

the stability of embankment with back berm under different working conditions is analyzed with nonlinear FEM strength reduction method. The calculation results show that its results are consistent with the real condition accorded well to the traditional limit equilibrium method. The stability of embankment under complicated loads may be judged by maximum height of the embankment. Actual engineering example shows that the strength reduction FEM and maximum height of the embankment were feasible to assess slop stability.