Dynamic Response and Dynamic Failure Mode of a Weak Intercalated Rock Slope Using a Shaking Table

Abstract

A large-scale shaking table test was performed to study the dynamic response of slopes parallel to geological bedding (bedding slopes) and slopes that cross-cut geological bedding (counter-bedding slopes). The test results show that the acceleration amplification coefficients increase with increasing elevation and, when the input earthquake amplitude is greater than 0.3 g, both bedding and counter-bedding slopes begin to show nonlinear dynamic response characteristics. With increasing elevation, the displacement of the bedding slope surface increases greatly. Conversely, the displacement of the counter-bedding slope surface increases first and then decreases; the slope develops a bulge at the relative elevation of 0.85. The displacement of the bedding slope surface is greater than that of the counter-bedding slope. The counter-bedding slope is more seismically stable compared with the bedding slope. Based on the Hilbert–Huang transform and marginal spectrum theories, the processes that develop dynamic damage of the bedding and counter-bedding slopes are identified. It is shown that the dynamic failure mode of the bedding slope is mainly represented by vertical tensile cracks at the rear of the slope, bedding slide of the strata along the weak intercalation, and rock collapse from the slope crest. However, the dynamic failure mode of the counter-bedding slope is mainly represented by staggered horizontal and vertical fissures, extrusion of the weak intercalation, and breakage at the slope crest.