Effects of Seismic Force and Pore Water Pressure on Three Dimensional Slope Stability in Nonhomogeneous and Anisotropic Soil

Abstract

Soils are generally nonhomogeneous and anisotropic in fact even through it was considered homogeneous in most geotechnical engineering analysis. In this paper, based on the kinematical approach of limit analysis theorem, a stability analysis of three dimensional nonhomogeneous and anisotropic slope subjected to seismic force or the pore water pressure was conducted, with the analytical expression of the critical height derived, the stability factors under different nonhomogeneous and anisotropic coefficients as well as the seismic force or the pore water pressure conditions were optimized and illustrated. The results showed that 3D effect of slope is closely related with the ratio of slope width to slope height, increase of soil nonhomogeneous coefficient and decrease of soil anisotropic coefficient will enhance slope stability, the seismic force and the pore water pressure will not only influence the slope stability significantly but also change the rules of factors such as the slope angle as well as soil nonhomogeneity and anisotropy on slope stability.