Behaviour and mechanism of failure process of soil slopes

Abstract

An integrated analysis of deformation process and failure process was used to investigate the behaviour and mechanism of slope failure. The study involved a series of centrifuge model tests that were performed on the model slope. The parameters considered in this investigation were soil behaviour, slope inclination, and loading condition. Displacement histories were measured accurately throughout the slope and were used to quantify the slope failure process. Initially, the slippage failure occurred near the slope toe; however, the failure increased upwards and eventually caused tension failure in the upper part of the steeper slope. A new concept, shear zone, was introduced to provide a clear description of the shear deformation localisation of the slope. The slip surface of the slope was located in the shear zone that was established prior to slope failure. The size of the shear zone was of the same order of magnitude as that of the slope and can be determined from the macroscopic measurement of displacement. The shear deformation of the shear zone exhibited a significant orientation during loading. On the basis of the concept of shear zone with three features, the slope failure process can be captured and simulated in a macroscopic view.